- CM tells Faisal Karim Kundi not to issue political statements owing to his constitutional role
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur Saturday advised newly-posted KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi against issuing political statements, emphasizing that the governor should not engage in confrontation owing to his limited role in a constitutional office.
Addressing the governor, the chief minister said: “I am giving a warning, the post of governor is constitutional, avoid political statements and confrontation.”
The KP CM’s comments came after Governor Kundi responded to his statement on attacking the provincial governor’s house two days after Gandapur warned of occupying his office.
Addressing a gathering, organised by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Dera Ismail Khan, to mark a year to the May 9 riots, the CM said he was not afraid of the governor’s rule in KP. However, if it was imposed, the people would occupy both the Governor’s House and CM House as only people’s rule is permissible in the province.
In response to the chief minister’s statement, Kundi said he knew how to protect the Governor’s House if Gandapur attacked it.
“If he wants to do a rehearsal, I’m ready to do it too. He found a highway to sprint in Islamabad, here he won’t even find a place to run away. I will drag him on the streets,” the governor said warning the CM during a gathering.
Kundi also advised the chief minister to “control his mouth and his actions”. “I know how to deal with hooligans like you.”
Meanwhile, Gandapur also told Governor Kundi that his governorship is “illegal” and that political statements and confrontations are not his business.
“Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not in such a position that he can speak,” he said, maintaining that even the oil for the governor’s car is bought from the provincial government’s budget.
“Then you won’t even have oil for your car and you won’t own the governor’s house either,” he said, warning to declare the Governor’s House as a heritage and turning it into an open-to-public museum.
“I will shift you to a two-room annexe,” Gandapur said, adding “you have nothing to do with politics”.
He told Governor Kundi to stay within his limits. “The governor has no status or work in the province at this time.”
