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DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Feb 10 (APP):Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Monday rejected ‘Agricultural Income Tax’ imposed by the provincial government and demanded of the provincial government to exempt the farmers from taxes keeping in view the prevailing law and order situation in the province.
While talking to media here at ‘Kundi Model Farm’, he emphasized that this tax burden could further complicate the situation for farmers, and the government should take their condition into account when making decisions.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi vowed that the work on the Chashma Lift Canal project would be started in May 2025. He acknowledged the support of the Saudi government and the Islamic Bank for this project.
He described the project as a key milestone for the province’s agricultural sector, stating that its completion would bring about a ‘green revolution’ which would lead to significant progress in agriculture, ultimately improving the condition of farmers and the provincial economy, he mentioned.
This project would create new opportunities for farmers and assist in increasing agricultural production. He said the Chashma Lift Canal project would be proved as a game-changer for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s agriculture.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also rejected KP government’s bill to terminate government employees recruited by the last caretaker government, terming it against the basic human rights.
He urged the provincial government to review the move which could complicate matters further in the province.
He said the ‘KP Employees Removal from Service Bill, 2025’ did not meet requirements of justices and it may face judicial challenges.
He was of the view that the services of employees who met the necessary formalities and rules for such appointments should not be terminated and termed it unconstitutional.
He emphasized that the bill should be amended with transparency and justice in mind, holding not only employees but also recruiting officers accountable.
Moreover, he maintained that it violated the rulings of the Supreme Court and the Sindh High Court, particularly the deprivation of employees’ right to appeal, which he deemed a direct violation of Article 10A of the Constitution.
Faisal Kundi emphasized that the bill does not include any provisions for taking action against officers responsible for illegal appointments and recommended strict measures in this regard.
He further suggested that employees recruited with the approval of the Election Commission should be excluded from this bill.
The governor said that while practical measures are being taken in Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister was only busy in protesting instead of addressing public issues. He added that the provincial government has outsourced the province to terrorists and is not serious about maintaining law and order.
He further claimed that the PTI has “Mir Jaffar & Mir Sadiq” elements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who have harmed the party. Faisal Karim Kundi accused the KP Chief Minister of defeating his opponents within the PTI in the elections to secure his own position as Chief Minister. The governor criticized PTI’s politics, stating it is limited to promoting derogatory language and that the party is not serious about the war on terrorism.
He also mentioned that no representative from PTI has expressed condolences to the families of security and police personnel martyred in the fight against terrorism.
The governor alleged that PTI’s agenda revolves around corruption, selling jobs, and awarding contracts.
On this occasion, Faisal Karim Khan Kundi announced that he will hold a conference on peace and brotherhood on February 17, 2025, at the Governor House in Peshawar, with scholars and religious leaders.