PESHAWAR: Senior government officials on Tuesday said it was the constitutional responsibility of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to remain informed about matters relating to the administration of the province, including the security and law-and-order situation.
Responding to a question about Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi chairing a meeting of provincial officials, senior government officials said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rules of Business, framed under Article 139 of the Constitution, expressly recognised the governor’s right to remain informed about the administration of the province.
“The question confuses receiving a security briefing with exercising executive command. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rules of Business, framed under Article 139 of the Constitution, expressly recognise the Governor’s right to remain informed about provincial administration,” a senior government official said.
Schedule IV, Item 4 covers “all such information relating to the administration of the Province … as the Governor may call for,” the government officials said.
More specifically, the senior government officials said Schedule VII requires the Governor to be provided, through the chief minister, with police situation and law-and-order reports, reports concerning threats to peace and tranquillity, departmental reports, important changes in police deployment, and intelligence reports.
Therefore, calling for and chairing an informational and security briefing is entirely distinguishable from assuming executive command or issuing operational directions, the senior government officials said. “The Governor was being briefed in his constitutional role, not replacing the provincial executive,” a senior government official said.
On Tuesday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi chaired an important security meeting with Chief Secretary KP Shahab Ali Shah, Inspector General of KP Police Zulfiqar Hameed, and other senior officials.
“The province cannot afford complacency when terrorism, crime and law-and-order challenges continue to threaten our people,” Governor Kundi said.
“At a time when Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is facing a serious security challenge, the provincial government must make the safety of its people its foremost responsibility. Political activity cannot come at the expense of security, and every institution must focus on protecting lives and maintaining peace,” the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor said.
