KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said on Wednesday in Dera Ismail Khan that the fight against terrorism remains the top priority of the provincial government, with peace, prosperity and development next on the agenda. He spoke to local elders and prominent figures after chairing a high-level meeting in the city, where he said he had received briefings on law and order, security arrangements, administrative affairs and ongoing development work.
Twelve districts, funding and police capacity
Clarifying the status of 12 districts listed under an emergency, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi dismissed as baseless any talk that they would become separate provinces or be merged with the former tribal areas. He said the districts were identified because they had suffered from terrorism, and that 70 per cent of the Rs160 billion federal development package announced by the prime minister would be spent there.
He said the foundation of the Danish School System was being laid in the region and that more development steps would follow. The provincial government, he added, is allocating Rs40 billion for the Bannu, Malakand and Dera Ismail Khan divisions to meet police needs, including building and upgrading police stations, check posts, DIG offices and DPO offices. Around 17,000 posts in the police department are vacant, and staffing and infrastructure gaps would be addressed.
Canal repairs, lift project and education plans
On the Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) breach — a canal that carries irrigation water to farmland — he said authorities had been given a deadline of 15 to 20 November to restore supply. Water could not be released in stages while the embankment remained weak, he explained, because an early release could cause another breach and undo completed repairs. Farmers would have to wait another 15 to 20 days for a safe restoration.
He announced that tenders for Phase-I of the Chashma Lift Canal project would be opened on 11 and 12 November, and that tendering for Phase-IV would begin on 1 December. A cadet college is also being set up in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for children of police and security personnel killed in the fight against terrorism. He said the government was working on problems facing universities and other educational institutions, and that hospitals and universities should be run by professionals rather than politicians or student unions. “We want to strengthen institutions rather than individuals,” he said.
Institutions, clean-ups and political talks
Anti-encroachment and cleanliness drives, he said, were underway across the province and would continue without political victimisation. He urged residents to offer practical ideas for peace, development and prosperity. Commissioner Dera Division Dawood Khan, the regional police officer, the deputy commissioner, the district police officer, assistant commissioners and departmental heads attended the meeting, along with local figures including MPA Ehsanullah Miankhel, Haleem Qasuria, Qaizar Khan Miankhel and PPP District President Malik Farhan Dhap.
Speaking later to the media, the governor of KP said the government was committed to eliminating terrorism with all-out effort. Asked about talks with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he said none were under way; PTI, he argued, appeared divided, and talks could take place when the party was on the same page. He also said the government aimed to strengthen departments by cutting corruption and ensuring transparency.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- 4 November: KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi chairs a high-level meeting in Dera Ismail Khan and sets out security and development priorities to elders and officials.
- 11–12 November: Tenders for Phase-I of the Chashma Lift Canal project are scheduled to open.
- 15–20 November: Deadline given for restoring water through the Chashma Right Bank Canal after the breach.
- Around mid-November: Farmers told to expect another 15 to 20 days for a safe canal supply.
- 1 December: Tendering process for Phase-IV of the Chashma Lift Canal project is due to begin.
Aasan alfaaz mein
KP ke governor ne DI Khan mein kaha ke pehli priority dehshatgardi khatam karna hai, phir aman aur taraqqi. Barah districts ke alag province banne ki afwahen unhon ne jhooti bataya, aur kaha ke federal package ka zyada hissa in ilaqon mein lagega. Police ke liye arabon rupay aur khali asamiyan bharne ka zikr kiya. CRBC se pani wapas aane mein abhi 15 se 20 din lagenge, is liye kisanon ko thora intezar karna hoga.
