Ansar Bhatti
ISLAMABAD: The federal government is expected to replace Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, with at least six prominent names under active consideration for the key constitutional office, official sources disclosed on Friday. The move comes amid rising security concerns in the province and increasing friction between the provincial government and the Governor House.
According to reliable political and administrative sources, the shortlisted names include former KP chief minister Pervez Khattak, former ANP chief minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti, and three retired senior military officers — Lt Gen (R) Tariq Khan, Lt Gen (R) Ghaur, and Lt Gen (R) Khalid. A sixth name from the civil bureaucracy is also said to be in discussion, though it has not yet been publicly confirmed.
Among the contenders, Lt Gen (R) Tariq Khan and Lt Gen (R) Ghaur stand out for their extensive experience in counterterrorism and border security, having served as Inspectors General of the Frontier Corps (FC) during some of the most challenging phases of militancy in the region. Their familiarity with KP’s security landscape is being viewed as a major factor in the ongoing deliberations.
Sources indicate that the federal leadership is leaning toward appointing a retired military officer as the next governor, given the province’s deteriorating law-and-order situation and the increasingly confrontational posture of the KP Chief Minister. The growing wave of violence — including attacks in merged districts and heightened militant activity along the Afghan border — has reinforced the argument for choosing a figure with strong security credentials.
Political observers note that the selection of the next governor will signal Islamabad’s strategic priorities for the province, particularly at a time when KP’s governance and security challenges have become a central national concern.
