Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has assured to fulfil his constitutional responsibilities if President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif decide that governor’s rule or an emergency is required in the province.
The assurance came during a meeting between Kundi and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi at the Governor House in Peshawar, where the two discussed the province’s security and political situation, according to an official statement.
The meeting followed the collapse of talks between the federal government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which governs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, aimed at preventing the party’s planned October 4 long march towards Islamabad.
The governor and interior minister expressed concern over the law-and-order situation and discussed security arrangements linked to the proposed march. They also reviewed allegations that terrorists could be facilitated in crossing security checkpoints during the mobilisation.
According to the Governor House, the use of an official helicopter and government resources for the march would amount to a violation of court orders.
Kundi and Naqvi agreed to perform their constitutional duties to protect the province from terrorism and instability. The governor’s office said it would extend full constitutional cooperation if the president and prime minister deemed governor’s rule or an emergency necessary.
KP Inspector General of Police also briefed the interior minister on the province’s security situation. The police force has been placed on high alert, while personnel deemed unnecessary in some districts have been recalled to police lines to ensure their rapid deployment if required.
The meeting also reviewed contingency measures and preparations to deal with any emergency arising from the current political and security situation.
