ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR – The federal government is set to consider imposing emergency or governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with a high-level meeting summoned by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House on Saturday to assess the province’s security situation and explore possible constitutional measures.
According to official sources, the meeting will review the prevailing law and order situation, public safety concerns and reports received from national security institutions before considering possible steps to address the challenges facing the province. Sources said a proposal to impose an emergency in 12 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including areas of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), is also on the agenda of the meeting.
The proposed measures are aimed at improving public safety and restoring law and order in the affected districts. The meeting is also expected to examine the possibility of the federal government exercising certain powers in view of the provincial situation.Various constitutional options, including the imposition of an emergency and governor’s rule, will be discussed. According to sources, relevant constitutional provisions, including Articles 232, 233 and 234 of the Constitution of Pakistan, will be reviewed as part of the deliberations before any possible measures or key decisions are considered for approval. Cabinet members and heads of security & intelligence agencies including senior officials would attend the meeting.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Friday urged people from across the country to reach the Swabi Interchange on Oct 11, where the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has planned to announce the next steps for its long march, demanding release of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan.
KP CM Afridi also addressed participants on the way to Charsadda and asked them not to worry as we have to go elsewhere as well after Swabi.
Afridi termed the federal government’s warnings empty threats and told the march participants that it cannot harm the workers after they will cross the province’s boundary.
In his address after reaching Charsadda, CM Afridi said convoys from Peshawar and Malakand divisions would reach the Swabi Interchange on Oct 13, while a course of action for Hazara Division would also be announced on the same day.
Convoys from Kohat Division would also reach the Swabi Interchange, while convoys from Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan Divisions would join the march along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor route, he said, according to a statement issued by his office.
The CM urged the people to play their role in the struggle for Haqiqi Azadi and sovereignty.
He said he wished to place before the public a record of the past years, detailing the performance of the federal government following Imran’s ouster as the prime minister in 2022.“Following the regime change operation, Pakistan’s economic indicators have been showing a negative trend. Pakistan has risen to the top of the Global Terrorism Index, and the country is now bearing the consequences of decisions taken behind closed doors,” he remarked.
He said the people of KP, along with police and military personnel, were making daily sacrifices and embracing martyrdom.
Meanwhile, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said that the imposition of emergency, if it has to be, is not linked or conditional to the PTI’s long march.
“Decision of enforcing emergency will not be related to the PTI’s long march but the failure of province to control law order situation and counter terrorism in KPK,” said the minister.
Minister criticized Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi for his failure to control terrorism in the province. “Immature people has been imposed in the province, “ he said, mentioning that it is not challenging for federal government to deal with the long march.
Minister said twelve districts had been severely affected by terrorism and that special arrangements in these areas were necessary. “It is our top priority to ontrol terrorism, “ he said.
Earlier, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry in a media talk gave an impression several areas of this province had become no-go areas because of terrorism. Minister also called on PTI to explain what he described as its alleged links with terrorists.
To a question, he said all arrangements had been completed to deal with PTI’s long march.
The PTI’s long Mach for the last some days roaming in different areas of the province. The government has made extra ordinary measures to deal with the protestors of the long march
