PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Monday urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to focus on ensuring the safety of citizens instead of pursuing political confrontation, saying the country, especially the province, urgently needs lasting peace.

Addressing a ceremony held at the Governor’s House here to mark the International Day of Democracy and Peace, the governor said the province was facing a deteriorating law and order situation, with security personnel, police officers and civilians continuing to lose lives in terrorist incidents.

He said funerals of martyrs were still being held, while political leaders were talking about marching on Islamabad.

“Restoring peace and protecting the lives of citizens should remain the top priority of the provincial government,” he said.

Mr Kundi said staging peaceful protests was the constitutional right of every citizen but announcing intentions of confrontation before holding a protest could create a dangerous situation.

Referring to recent political developments, he said legal matters should be resolved through the courts.

He said the release of PTI founder Imran Khan could come through judicial process and not through street protests.

“All political stakeholders should jointly present Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s case before the federation. Promises made to the merged tribal districts at the time of the former Fata’s merger with KP, as well as commitments under the NFC Award, have yet to be fulfilled,” he said.

Former deputy speaker of the KP Assembly Kiramatullah Khan Chagarmatti, MPAs Mehr Sultana and Ashber Jadoon, Pakistan Red Crescent KP chairman Farzand Ali Wazir, Pakistan Peoples Party provincial leaders and other political and social figures attended the ceremony.

A cake was also cut during the event to mark the 38th birthday of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2026