Senator Faisal Vawda on Tuesday said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's incumbent administrative setup could also be replaced if it failed to deliver, stressing that there was "no chance for failure" in the province. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader expressed hope that KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi would perform well, but said performance would ultimately determine whether he remained in the position.
"If Faisal Kundi does not perform, he will be replaced," Vawda said. "If they cannot perform, someone else will come, but success is certain.
We have no chance for failure." He said results under the new arrangement would start becoming visible within 60 days, while people would receive relief within 180 days. "The public only cares about relief.
Everything will now be based on performance," the senator said, adding that the new setup had come through the democratic system. Vawda backed the imposition of emergency in KP, saying the decision had been taken in the interest of the province's people.
"The law-and-order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was alarming. The emergency had become inevitable," he said.
KP entered a new administrative setup last Sunday after President Asif Ali Zardari imposed emergency and governor's rule, sidelining the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government. The president approved the summary on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's advice under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution following recommendations from the federal cabinet and reports on the province's law-and-order situation.
Under the new arrangement, Governor Kundi exercises the provincial government's functions on behalf of the federation and is assisted by an 11-member advisory council, while Parliament exercises the provincial assembly's legislative powers. Taking aim at his former party, Vawda claimed the outcome of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government's 13-year rule in KP was "nothing but destruction", accusing it of failing to deliver in education and health.
"You are at zero in education and health. You did nothing in 13 years," he said.
Vawda also alleged that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had a "nexus with terrorists" and questioned who was responsible for what he described as a 195% increase in terrorism. "Our soldiers are being martyred in terrorist incidents.
We have to eliminate terrorism," he said, adding that civilians and security forces were making sacrifices in the fight. The senator said neither KP nor any other province was going to be divided, dismissing speculation about changes to the province's territorial status.
Vawda said an option to "reboot" Pakistan was being considered, adding that no political party currently possessed "political capital". He said the public would no longer be swayed by "false slogans" and claimed that those who had previously touted their popularity on social media were now nowhere to be seen.
Vawda also said "political terrorism, state terrorism and terrorism against the country" were all going to be addressed, while "economic terrorism" would also be dealt with strictly.