Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s problematic Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has dropped another bombshell, announcing that he will hold direct talks with Afghanistan to bring peace to the province and that the federal government and other institutions have no interest in controlling the province’s security situation. In this context, the Afghan Consulate General in Peshawar met with him yesterday at his invitation. It is common knowledge that these discussions with any nation are neither the provincial government’s purview nor mandated to be a federal matter. In addition, the CM has employed a novel political point-scoring strategy. Instead, it has made an effort to put the province and the federation more apart. Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi and the Defence Minister are two prominent political figures and analysts who have responded angrily to the current confrontation.
In an exclusive interview, the governor stated that many areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remain off-limits due to the provincial government’s poor performance and that if the Governor’s rule is imposed in the province, our security agencies will be able to maintain control over the situation. The Governor also informed the Prime Minister of his concerns in this regard. In an exclusive interview, former ANP chief spokesman Zahid Khan claimed that the province’s ruling party had previously held similar discussions with terrorists, and as a result, hundreds of terrorists were brought in from Afghanistan to help prepare the ground for the worst recent attacks on Pakistan.
He noted that although we had also signed the Swat agreement with the Taliban, the Swat operation had been effectively tested when things did not work out, and all parties involved, including Parliament, had supported this process. He argues that since the 1973 constitution states that such talks and coordination with any other nation are a federal matter, they are outside the purview of the provincial administration.
Renowned analyst Rizwan Razi observed that CM Gandapur is taking “adventure” in fomenting confusion and mistrust by his leader’s whims and directives. They should be aware, though, that none of this is within their purview. In addition to gaining political points, this is a strategy to exert pressure on the federal government and the establishment. Another analyst Hamad Hassan claims that after speaking with a top Taliban figure about the matter, the latter stated, “The talks are going well, but we are fully aware that this is a matter under the jurisdiction of the central government.”
Analyst Hasan Ayub said that this demonstrates how the provincial government is carrying out its policy of giving the Taliban infrastructure and that it intends to remove the troops from the region and hand it over to the Taliban. He says the army is called in by the provincial government to address security issues; if the CM objects and feels he can handle the situation, he should return the request; however, if the situation worsens, the army will have to deal not only with terrorists but also with a few political elements.
In her remarks, anchorperson Sana Mirza stated that the CM’s declaration has not only made it easier for political tensions to rise further. Instead, it has also brought unrest in terms of national security within the nation. The fact that some police officers in the province of Ali Amin Gandapur are on strike raises additional concerns. However, a significant portion of the public has also disapproved of the CM’s remarks and responded angrily on social media, claiming that this will result in the province falling into the hands of the Taliban and that things will spiral out of control. As a result, the federal government and establishment ought to forbid such actions and efforts.