Islamabad, Pakistan: As expected, the PTI’s Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has started putting immense administrative as well as political pressure on the Federal Government by not only defying the Constitution of 1973 but also threatening the Federation for taking over assets of the Federal government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Province.
Amin Gandapur who is known for his objectionable personality and was allegedly involved in the May 9, 2023 attacks on military installations have also banned the entry of the Governor of KPK to KPK House in Islamabad. It is pertinent to mention that the KPK House in Islamabad has a symbolic value being KPK’s presence in the Capital of Islamabad.
Not only this, but Gandapur has also threatened that he will take over electricity power grids in KPK if the 24/7 power supply is not restored in all cities of KPK. It is pertinent to mention that Electricity power grids are assets of the Federal Government as they belong to the Ministry of Water and Power of the Federation Government. It is pertinent to mention that the KPK government as well as the power distribution companies of KPK have huge arrears of 335 billion rupees outstanding by February 2024 and they are not releasing the payments to the Federal Government. Instead of stopping power theft and releasing payment to the Federal Government, the chief minister is openly threatening the Federal Government and saying that the Chief Minister will go and take over the grid stations if his orders are not met. Are such actions not anti-national acts? And is this not a nefarious attempt to spread anarchy in the country? Such threats are condemnable and arrestable.
On the other hand, since the day Governor Faisal Kareem Kundi took over the charge of KPK, the PTI government is not ready to respect him and has been challenging him verbally and administratively because challenging him is actually challenging the authority of the Federation in KPK province. The role and power delegated by the Constitution 1973 are very clear in Part IV and Part V of the Constitution that the Governor of any Province is the Agent of the President. Both clauses of the Constitution indicate that the Governor is a symbol of the Federation in the Province and the Agent of the President who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the country.
Now one should review what is going on between the Federation of Pakistan and its Federating Unit (KPK Province) and how much this situation can aggravate in the near future.
This is not the first time that Chief Minister Gandapur has made such a threat of taking over the grid stations. Earlier he had made a statement to attack Islamabad, after which he threatened Governor Faisal Kundi who is a symbol of federalism and then he said that he would attack the Governor’s House in Peshawar and will occupy it. The matter did not stop there, now the Chief Minister has banned even the entry of the Governor in KPK House Islamabad.
On the other hand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Adviser Barrister Saif has confirmed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cabinet aims to address the pressing accommodation issues faced by ministers and members of the provincial assembly has taken over the Governor’s Annexe inside KPK House Islamabad will be repurposed to accommodate the needs of provincial assembly members and ministers.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who is Chairman of PPP, the political party of Faisal Kundi on May 15, 2024, reacted sharply over the ill-treatment of KPK Governor. While addressing at the floor of the National Assembly, he shared his mind and indicated that the PTI and its workers never contributed to the development, stability, and prosperity of the country and they are those who incited people against national security agencies and desecrated the memorials of martyrs.
The Federal Government does not want confrontation with any of its federating units but time will tell for how long Islamabad keeps following the policy of avoidance of confrontation because the past of PTI is categorical that anarchism is part and parcel of PTI’s politics
PPP circles believe that the administrative ill-treatment of Governor Kundi is a glaring violation of the administrative contract between the Federation and the Federating Unit (KPK) and the Federation can even impose Governor Rule in KPK over this grave situation but everybody knows that Gandapur will move to Peshawar High Court against Governor Rule and there are high chances that court will give a decision in favor of PTI’s Chief Minister as usual. If the Federal Governor uses power to protect its assets like electric power grids through federal law enforcing agencies, then there is the possibility that CM Gandapur will use provincial law enforcing agencies against Federal law enforcing agencies and the country will face another traumatic situation thereafter.
PPP circles believe that PTI was behind creating a grave situation in Azad Kashmir and the lukewarm and delayed response of the Federal Government to handle the law and order situation in Azad Kashmir caused the deaths of several persons and now PTI is trying to create a law and order situation in KPK. They are of the opinion that President Asif Ali Zardari who intervened in Azad Kashmir’s situation successfully managed the state of affairs and he does not want to give a chance to PTI to open another front against the Federation of Pakistan and that is why PPPP is avoiding confrontation with PTI over abuses its (PPP’s) installed Governor is facing.
There is no doubt that the Federal Government does not want confrontation with any of its federating units but time will tell for how long Islamabad keeps following the policy of avoidance of confrontation because the past of PTI and its Chief Minister is categorical that anarchism is part and parcel of PTI’s politics.
