ISLAMABAD:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has said that the opposition would move a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur the moment it secures a majority in the provincial assembly. “The day one extra member joins us, we can move a vote of no-confidence, ” he said.
He made the remarks while speaking to reporters after a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) delegation met Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his Islamabad residence on Friday to deliberate on a joint strategy for the upcoming Senate elections in K-P.
During the meeting, the two parties discussed possible cooperation in contesting the Senate polls. The meeting highlighted the need for coordination among opposition parties to counter the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the province.
Senior PPP leader Khursheed Shah said that the elections were imminent and that both parties intended to honour previously agreed arrangements. “Every party has its mandate, and we have had a longstanding relationship with Maulana Fazlur Rehman,” he noted.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Kundi highlighted the PPP’s electoral targets in upper house elections, saying the party was aiming for five Senate seats in the province. “Our goal is for Maulana Fazl’s group to secure one general seat, while PPP will contest a reserved seat,” he said.
When asked about the potential for political manoeuvring in the upcoming polls, Kundi responded, “The PPP will try its best to avoid horse-trading,” while expressing hope that the former Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance would contest the elections jointly, saying, “We are trying to move forward together.”
Touching on the broader political and security landscape, the K-P governor criticised the PTI’s governance in the province, challenging the party to “name a single stadium or public facility they have built.”
Commenting on the deteriorating law and order situation in K-P, he said, “Extremists usually come out after Asr prayers in the province,” alluding to growing militant activity in recent months.
Kundi also addressed Thursday’s tragic incident in Balochistan, where nine passengers were killed after being identified and separated based on their identity cards. He said the entire nation must unite to restore peace.
He called out Indian involvement in terrorist activities inside Pakistan, stating New Delhi had intensified subversive actions following its military setbacks. “Eighty per cent of the terrorism in Pakistan is originating from Afghan soil,” he said, warning that if Afghanistan continued allowing its territory to be used by hostile powers like Israel and India, it would be difficult to maintain peaceful ties.
“Afghanistan must ensure that its land is not used by external forces against Pakistan,” he added.
