DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi said on Friday that while the people and security forces of the province had made “unparalleled sacrifices” in the war against terrorism, the same commitment was not reflected when it came to the province’s constitutional and financial rights.
Speaking as chief guest at the First Achievement Awards 2026 organized by the Haripur Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Governor House, Kundi said the federal government often cited “lack of resources” whenever KP demanded its due share.
“When the issue is about the province’s constitutional rights, we are told there are no resources. But when it comes to the sacrifices of KP, no one questions the cost,” he said.
The ceremony was attended by Iranian Consul General Ali Banafshehkhah, Chairman Haripur Chamber Syed Ahmad Jan, President Sarhad Chamber Junaid Altaf, Syed Ahmad Sikandar, Haji Ataur Rehman and a large number of industrialists, traders and civil society representatives. Achievement awards were given to businesspersons for their contributions to the national economy.
Congratulating the award winners, the governor said the business community deserved maximum facilitation and support.
“Traders and farmers are the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. If overseas Pakistanis and our traders are given better facilities, the country will not need to rely on foreign loans,” he said. Kundi added that if taxes were being imposed in the former FATA and PATA, then traders there must also be given facilities equal to those available to traders in other parts of the country.
“After the 18th Amendment, provinces were given extensive powers, but we have not been able to use them effectively,” he noted.
He criticized the non-release of promised funds for the merged districts, saying the commitment to provide Rs100 billion had not been fulfilled, while the federal government still owed more than Rs250 billion to these districts.
“In the past, the federal and provincial governments kept shifting responsibility for funds of the merged districts onto each other,” he said.
Highlighting energy issues, Kundi said KP was the largest producer of gas and oil in the country, yet it did not have a single oil refinery. He also said the province was not receiving its due share of wheat and water.
“If KP is given its full constitutional share of water, the province alone has the capacity to meet Pakistan’s entire wheat requirement,” he said.
At the end of the ceremony, representatives of the business community briefed the governor on their problems, proposals and demands. Kundi assured them of full cooperation in resolving the issues.
