Peshawar:Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Parliamentary Leader in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Ahmad Kundi on Wednesday urged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) provincial government to adopt a policy of reconciliation with the federal government instead of confrontation.
Addressing a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club along with members of the PPP parliamentary committee, Kundi said the PTI leadership should read the Constitution before criticising Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
He said the Constitution empowered the governor to play his role in matters concerning the province, including convening meetings on the law and order situation when necessary.
Kundi said the provincial government should focus on addressing the deteriorating security situation instead of engaging in political confrontation with the Centre.
He urged Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to prioritise the province’s interests and cooperate with the federal government on security and other matters.
He said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had facilitated dialogue between the PTI and the federal government, but the PTI itself had caused the failure of the lengthy negotiations.
The PPP leader criticised the provincial cabinet for its criticism of the governor and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, saying the province needed political cooperation and collective decision-making to address its security and governance challenges.
Kundi said the provincial government had also failed to give due importance to federal forums dealing with provincial rights and financial matters. He claimed that the CM had not attended meetings of the National Finance Commission (NFC) and the Council of Common Interests (CCI) despite receiving invitations.
He said KP relied substantially on federal resources and maintained that confrontation with the Centre would not serve the province’s interests. He called for effective implementation of policies aimed at combating terrorism and improving law and order.
Kundi said the PPP believed in reconciliation and collective decision-making and had consistently sought to bring political and religious parties together on issues of national importance.
He also criticised the provincial government over its handling of a PPP protest outside the KP Assembly, alleging that peaceful protesters had been subjected to baton-charge and tear gas.
He said the province continued to face serious challenges related to terrorism and development and urged the provincial government to focus on governance and public welfare.
Kundi called upon the chief minister to perform his constitutional and administrative responsibilities and avoid unnecessary confrontation with the Centre, saying peace and stability should remain the foremost priorities of the provincial government.