Muqam says governor’s rule legal option in KP

Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ameer Muqam has said that all legal requirements for imposing governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been met. He said further developments could take place at any time.

Speaking to journalists in Peshawar, Muqam criticised the provincial government and Chief Minister Sohail Afridi over what he described as unlawful actions. He said Governor Faisal Karim Kundi was a capable person and suggested that the situation in the province could change quickly.

Muqam said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been facing serious security challenges for years. He said the people of the province had made significant sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and that maintaining peace should remain a priority.

He also criticised the PTI-led provincial government, saying the party had governed the province for around 13 years but had not delivered the improvements expected by the people. He said the province continued to face problems in education, healthcare and other basic services.

According to Muqam, the current chief minister lacks sufficient experience to run the province. He alleged that the provincial administration had failed to present a clear strategy for addressing major challenges, particularly security concerns.

The federal minister said law and order remained the biggest challenge facing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He argued that economic development would remain difficult without improving security and called for stronger measures to protect residents.

Muqam also criticised statements made by PTI leaders regarding terrorism and security operations. He said sacrifices made by security personnel should not be undermined and questioned the security situation surrounding political gatherings and rallies in the province.

He further accused the provincial government of attempting to increase its control over the police and other senior officials. He said efforts to place the inspector general of police and chief secretary under greater political control could affect the morale and independence of the police force.

Muqam also criticised the provincial government’s approach towards talks with Afghanistan and militant groups. He alleged that the government lacked an effective strategy against terrorism and said political statements about security had caused concern among security personnel and their families.

Regarding the PTI’s planned long march, Muqam said the protest had initially been scheduled for September 27 but was later postponed until October 4. He questioned the level of public support for the planned demonstration and said the protests had caused disruption in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad.

Muqam said governor’s rule was among the options being considered for the province. He repeated his claim that the legal requirements for such a step had been fulfilled because of what he described as unlawful actions by the provincial government.

He also criticised Chief Minister Sohail Afridi personally and said he could not continue in office. These remarks represent Muqam’s political position and were not independently established in his statement.