Peshawar, November 1,2026: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has asserted that the people of the province have the first right to its natural resources, rejecting concerns that outsiders could exploit its mineral wealth.
“No one should think that foreigners will come and loot this province. Till I am here, the people of the province will have the first right to its resources,” Kundi said while addressing a ceremony in Peshawar.
He added that any third party, whether from Pakistan or abroad, could enter into a joint venture with the people of the province if it was willing to do so.
The governor, who assumed administrative control of KP following the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency, said his priority was to protect the people of the province, followed by the province itself and then Pakistan.
His remarks come amid allegations by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman that the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency in KP was linked to the government’s intention to take control of the province’s natural resources.
Fazl had also questioned the federal government’s position on mineral resources during a National Assembly session earlier this week, criticising the Centre over its decision to impose emergency and governor’s rule.
Meanwhile, speculation has circulated on social media that KP’s mineral resources could be handed over or sold to the United States. The discussion followed remarks by US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker during an interview with The Centrum Media on September 30, in which she expressed Washington’s interest in Pakistan’s mineral resources.
Without directly referring to these claims, Kundi said various reports might be circulating in the media and on social media, but protecting the people of KP remained his foremost responsibility.
Highlighting the province’s natural wealth, he said KP had extensive resources compared to other provinces.
“Wherever there are resources, there will always be issues,” he remarked, adding that KP was Pakistan’s largest oil producer and second-largest gas producer. He also cited its electricity generation capacity, tourism potential, mineral wealth and tobacco production.
Kundi also discussed the Rs160 billion pledged by the federal government for development projects in the province. He said 70 per cent of the amount would be allocated to 12 districts under the Area Representative and Development Council (ARDC), while the remaining 30 per cent would go to other districts.
He assured residents of the merged districts that they would receive their rightful share of development funds.
“My brothers and sisters in the merged districts will not be deprived of their rightful share,” he said.
Commenting on alleged corruption charges against non-functional KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Kundi said that if the allegations were established, the matter would be dealt with through the due legal process.
On Friday, Adviser to the KP Governor on Information and Public Relations Samar Haroon Bilour said available evidence relating to alleged financial corruption by Afridi was being compiled.
Afridi remains in preventive custody and has not been seen since the imposition of governor’s rule in the province.
The federal government imposed governor’s rule and emergency in KP on October 11, citing what it described as the provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism.
Less than a week later, a joint sitting of Parliament approved the federal government’s decision amid strong opposition protests.
The developments followed weeks of political tensions between the Centre and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), alongside negotiations aimed at resolving their differences. Tensions had intensified after PTI announced a long march to Islamabad demanding the release of its jailed founder, Imran Khan.
Federal ministers accused the PTI-led provincial government of having a “nexus” with terrorist groups and argued that the security situation in the province necessitated the imposition of emergency.
