Political currents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could shift dramatically as Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has alluded to a potential move by opposition parties to challenge the sitting provincial government, currently led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
In a recent appearance on Samaa TV’s talk show Redline with Talat, Kundi remarked that initiating a no-confidence vote is a democratic prerogative — and one that remains on the table if the numbers align.
“History reminds us that even prime ministers have been unseated through such mechanisms,” he said.
According to Kundi, the opposition currently controls between 52 and 54 seats in the KP Assembly.
However, to succeed in dethroning the PTI government, they would need an additional 25 to 30 members. “A margin of even one seat beyond the required majority can alter the landscape,” he stated, though he clarified that no formal negotiations are underway yet.
He didn’t hold back in criticizing PTI’s performance, blaming it for misgovernance and corruption, including alleged scandals in the wheat and sugar sectors.
“People of the province have endured enough under this administration. Their departure would be a breath of fresh air,” Kundi asserted.
The governor also called out rifts within the PTI, arguing that internal strife is weakening the party more than external opposition. “They don’t require adversaries when they are divided among themselves,” he said.
Taking a jab at KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Kundi questioned his effectiveness in dealing with Islamabad.
“It takes him nearly a week to reach the capital, and he’s shown the door within hours,” Kundi quipped.
He added sarcastically that while Gandapur may be loyal to federal authorities, “he shouldn’t be shocked if he’s discarded when no longer useful.”
On the debate around initiating a no-confidence vote, Kundi rejected any moral objections. “Is merely discussing no-confidence now considered taboo?” he asked. He also made reference to Aleema Khan’s purported remarks suggesting that the ‘minus-one’ scenario — seen as removing Imran Khan from the equation — had already played out.
Kundi further ridiculed the provincial government’s lack of development, citing an incomplete stadium project in Peshawar that, despite being under construction since 2017, has only seen a renaming — not progress.
