PESHAWAR (Khyber Mail): Faisal Karim Kundi, a leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), was sworn in as the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday. The oath was administered by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim. The ceremony was attended by the KP secretary, other officials, and members of the PPP.
President Asif Ali Zardari approved Kundi’s appointment earlier in the day, along with the appointments of Sardar Saleem Haider and Jaffar Khan Mandokhail as the governors of Punjab and Balochistan, respectively.
Following his oath-taking, Kundi spoke to the media, vowing to end terrorism and the financial crisis in the province, including the areas formerly administered federally that are now part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He expressed optimism about the province’s future prosperity.
Kundi stated his intention to engage with the province’s political leadership to improve the situation and advocate for their rights at the Centre. He assured that he would champion the cause of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the Centre and called on KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to collaborate in this effort.
Kundi emphasized the need to prioritize the province’s needs over political rivalry. He noted that the provincial cabinet members and the Chief Minister were invited to his oath-taking ceremony, but Gandapur might not have been able to attend due to his busy schedule.
A loyal member of the PPP, Kundi was chosen for the post over two other PPP politicians, Zahir Shah and Syed Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha. He currently serves as the PPP’s central information secretary and is a member of the central executive committee and the foreign liaison committee.
Kundi was elected as a member of the National Assembly in the 2008 general elections and made history as the country’s youngest deputy speaker. Over the years, he has earned the respect of his peers and established a name for himself on the international stage through his participation in global dialogues and interactions with diplomats.
He is particularly vocal about infrastructure development, educational reforms, and philanthropy, and is a strong advocate for dialogue and policy reform. Kundi has served as the prime minister’s aide, the PPP KP secretary general, and a patron of the Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) and the Youth Parliament. He also works with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and has served as the chairman of the Fata Caucus.