ISLAMABAD, OCT 13: Senator Faisal Vawda on Tuesday said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s incumbent administrative setup could also be replaced if it failed to deliver, stressing that there was “no chance for failure” in the province.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the former PTI leader expressed hope that KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi would perform well, but said performance would ultimately determine whether he remained in the position.
“If Faisal Kundi does not perform, he will be replaced,” Vawda said. “If they cannot perform, someone else will come, but success is certain. We have no chance for failure.”
He said results under the new arrangement would start becoming visible within 60 days, while people would receive relief within 180 days.
“The public only cares about relief. Everything will now be based on performance,” the senator said, adding that the new setup had come through the democratic system.
Vawda backed the imposition of emergency in KP, saying the decision had been taken in the interest of the province’s people.
“The law-and-order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was alarming. The emergency had become inevitable,” he said.
KP entered a new administrative setup last Sunday after President Asif Ali Zardari imposed emergency and governor’s rule, sidelining the PTI-led provincial government.
The president approved the summary on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution following recommendations from the federal cabinet and reports on the province’s law-and-order situation.
Under the new arrangement, Governor Kundi exercises the provincial government’s functions on behalf of the federation and is assisted by an 11-member advisory council, while Parliament exercises the provincial assembly’s legislative powers.
‘13 years of destruction’
Taking aim at his former party, Vawda claimed the outcome of the PTI government’s 13-year rule in KP was “nothing but destruction”, accusing it of failing to deliver in education and health.
“You are at zero in education and health. You did nothing in 13 years,” he said.
Vawda also alleged that the PTI had a “nexus with terrorists” and questioned who was responsible for what he described as a 195% increase in terrorism.
“Our soldiers are being martyred in terrorist incidents. We have to eliminate terrorism,” he said, adding that civilians and security forces were making sacrifices in the fight.
The senator said neither KP nor any other province was going to be divided, dismissing speculation about changes to the province’s territorial status.
“Neither is the province going to be broken up, nor is anything else going to happen,” he said.
‘Looking at option to reboot Pakistan’
Vawda said an option to “reboot” Pakistan was being considered, without elaborating on what such a move would entail.
“We are looking at the option of rebooting Pakistan,” he said, adding that no political party currently possessed “political capital”.
He said the public would no longer be swayed by “false slogans” and claimed that those who had previously touted their popularity on social media were now nowhere to be seen.
Vawda also said “political terrorism, state terrorism and terrorism against the country” were all going to be addressed, while “economic terrorism” would not be spared.
The senator claimed that arrests had taken place through “collusion”, but did not provide further details.
Referring to the former PTI administration, Vawda said eight members of the KP cabinet had been in contact with him, adding that he had told eight of his PTI friends that the “show was over”.
The presidential proclamation imposing emergency in KP cited a surge in terrorist attacks and extremist activities, including attacks on infrastructure, government installations and law enforcement agencies.
It also accused the former provincial government of failing to demonstrate the “ownership, will and intent” required to tackle terrorism and lawlessness and referred to the governor’s report indicating a “breakdown of the constitutional machinery”.
