PESHAWAR: Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Monday said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were facing similar challenges, particularly terrorism due to their proximity to the Afghan border, stressing the need for intelligence-based operations to ensure lasting peace.
He expressed these views while talking to participants of the 19th National Workshop Balochistan, who visited the Governor’s House Peshawar under the leadership of Brigadier Bilal Ghafoor.
The delegation, comprising students from Balochistan universities, media persons, and members of political and social sectors, discussed with the governor various issues including the overall situation of the province, National Finance Commission Award, and merged districts.
The governor said that Pakistan’s facilitation of US-Iran talks in Islamabad reflected effective diplomacy, adding that the country not only avoided the impact of potential conflict but also brought both sides to the negotiation table, enhancing its global stature.
Responding to questions, he said the province was facing Indian-backed terrorism along the Afghan border and reiterated that intelligence-based operations were crucial for sustainable peace.
He added that Afghan nationals had been found involved in several terrorism incidents in the province.Highlighting financial constraints, he said only Rs4 billion had been allocated for 34 public sector universities in the province, which was insufficient to achieve desired educational outcomes.The governor said that despite being the highest producer of oil and gas, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa still lacked an oil refinery.
