Islamabad:
A political storm can brew on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while Governor Faisal Karim Kundi confirmed on Saturday that the power alliance and the opposition seriously weighed a move without confidence against the Minister of Chief Ali Amin Gandapur – in the midst of a exchange wave in the number of assemblies after the Supreme Court decision on the reserved seats.
In an exclusive conversation, the Governor of KP said that the opposition reserves the democratic right to propose a motion without confidence against the provincial government whenever it has a digital advantage in the assembly, why an opposition would wait if it has the figures.
Governor Kundi said that there was not yet an official attempt by the opposition to oust the KP government, but the opposition actively worked for the consolidation of support.
“We (alliance to power and provincial opposition) work seriously. The figures have changed in the assembly. The opposition is not in a hurry, but it will not wait when the figures are finished,” he said.
Governor Kundi said the opposition parties currently hold around 54 seats in the KP Assembly and saw an opening to obtain support of nearly 35 independent members.
“No opposition party would even wait a second if he could go beyond the ruling party in any assembly,” he said.
With the support of the independent AMPs, Governor Kundi, while answering a question, said that the task of withdrawing the KP government led by PTI-PTI was achievable because the defection clause would not apply to them.
In 2024, the Supreme Court had judged that the legislators who are going through the word will have their votes counted, even if they are subsequently disqualified. This would require by -elections on all the seats they leave.
On the other hand, if the opposition is based on independent members for support, no partial part would arise, because their participation does not violate the constitutional provisions.
Under article 136 of the Constitution, the chief minister may be withdrawn by a non-confidence vote supported by the majority of total members of the provincial assembly.
Alternatively, under article 130, paragraph 7, the governor can ask the chief minister to request a vote of trust if he believes that the head of the chamber no longer provides majority support.
In both cases, the support of at least 73 AMP is required in the assembly of 145 members, indicating that the opposition is currently short of around 19 with 20 votes. Governor Kundi rejected the idea that the power alliance of the center rushed into any political maneuver.
“The work is underway. When the figures are there, we will not be long in,” he said.
In reference to the rehearsal mockery and public warnings of CM Gandapur, Kundi said: “The chief minister continues to launch challenges. But we will act when he is important.”
In parallel with the political events of April 2022, Kundi recalled that a motion of non-confidence against the Prime Minister of the time, Imran Khan, had been successfully executed at the time.
“At that time too, the PTI government said that no one could dislodge them. Everyone saw what happened next,” he said.
When he was asked if Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked him to launch this decision against the KP government at their recent meeting, the governor said that even if the case had been discussed, no specific indication was issued.
“Yes, we discussed the situation after the decision of the reserved seats, but there was no specific order or task granted to the Prime Minister,” he said.
On a lighter note, Kundi, while referring to the repeated challenges of CM KP that he would leave politics if someone moved him, said “we do not want Gandapur to become unemployed or leave politics”.
Commenting on the coordination within the opposition, Kundi recognized the political relevance of the head of Jeu-F Maulana Fazlur Rehman and declared that interactions take place to discuss different things and the rapidly evolving political situation.
Kundi said Maulana is a senior figure with vast political experience, claiming that meetings and consultations with political leaders like him are regularly held.
The recent changes in the allowances reserved for the seat modified the political equation in KP, which caused discussions at the highest level of the power coalition. Although no official step has yet been taken, political observers believe that the possibility of a movement without confidence has become considerably possible if the independents change camp.
They say that the next few days are likely to be decisive in determining whether the PTI retains its grip on the province or faces a rehearsal of April 2022.
