LAHORE: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday claimed that the head of a political party was “deeply upset” over not getting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governorship or a role in the governor’s rule setup.
Speaking informally to journalists in Lahore, Naqvi did not name the politician but claimed that the leader had relied on the establishment’s support for decades to remain in politics.
“Such was his situation that even the air tickets for his political party were arranged by the establishment,” the interior minister claimed.
Naqvi said it did not behove such politicians to point fingers at others today, adding that political differences should be expressed through arguments and facts rather than “indecent language and accusations”.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa entered a new administrative setup last Sunday after President Asif Ali Zardari imposed emergency and governor’s rule, effectively sidelining the PTI-led provincial government.
The president approved and signed the summary on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution following recommendations by the federal cabinet and reports on the province’s law-and-order situation.
The move has fundamentally changed how KP will be governed for the duration of the emergency: Governor Faisal Karim Kundi will exercise the provincial government’s functions on behalf of the federation, assisted by an 11-member advisory council, while Parliament will exercise the provincial assembly’s legislative powers.
The interior minister also took aim at some political leaders for raising concerns over resources for the former FATA districts.
“Some political leaders are very concerned today about the resources of the former FATA districts. When these districts were not receiving their due share for several years, why were these people silent?” he questioned.
Naqvi further asked why they had not spoken up for the rights of the people of former FATA at the time.
He stressed that the issue of rights and resources of the people of former FATA should remain above political interests.
Turning to the security situation, Naqvi said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was currently facing serious security challenges.
He urged political leaders to contribute towards restoring peace and eliminating terrorism instead of “fuelling the fire and spreading unrest”.
“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa needs peace, stability and collective efforts, not political confrontation,” Naqvi added.
