KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur: No Room for ‘Good Taliban’ in the Province, Criticizes Federal Government

Peshawar: In a strong stance against the ongoing security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur addressed an All-Party Conference (APC) in Peshawar, stating that there is no room for ‘good Taliban’ in the province and that no operation has yielded any positive results. He made it clear that the provincial government does not wish to carry out further operations and rejected the use of drones against terrorists.
Gandapur emphasized that the federal government is failing to fulfill its responsibilities, and he firmly stated that the Frontier Corps (FC) integration in the province should not result in federal forces interfering in provincial matters. “We will not allow federal forces to intervene in our province,” he said. He also criticized the idea of ‘good Taliban’ and vowed to take action against anyone who advocates for them.
Regarding the APC, Gandapur addressed the opposition’s boycott, accusing them of being “cowardly” for not supporting the provincial government’s decision to protect the region. He also declared Afghanistan’s interim government as the “legal government” and reiterated his commitment to the province’s autonomy.
After the APC, the Chief Minister announced that 600 local recruits would be hired to fill the security gap in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s border areas due to the increasing threat from terrorists. He also expressed frustration over the federal government’s lack of action in securing the border and handling the increasing movement of militants.
Further criticizing the federal government’s handling of the situation, Gandapur highlighted that the province is being deprived of its constitutional rights, including the delay in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award meetings. He stressed that the province will not compromise on its rights over natural resources and will fight any attempts to infringe upon them.
Opposition parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), and the Awami National Party (ANP), boycotted the APC, calling it a “political show.” Dr. Ibadullah, leader of the opposition, criticized the provincial government’s decisions, labeling them as unserious and said the real solution lies in parliamentary discussions, not in token meetings.
This APC has fueled further political tension in the province, as both the provincial and federal governments remain at odds over handling security, governance, and autonomy issues.