ISLAMABAD:
A federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif began on Sunday at the Prime Minister’s House to review the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), with discussions expected to focus on terrorism, governance and possible administrative and constitutional measures.
The cabinet is expected to consider imposing an emergency and governor’s rule in K-P at a meeting today, as the federal government weighs constitutional measures amid the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government’s ongoing protest march and worsening political and security tensions.
Federal ministers continued to arrive at the Prime Minister’s House ahead of the meeting. Those attending included Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Salik Hussain, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Sources said the cabinet meeting under Prime Minister Shehbaz is expected to consider both options and approve advice to be sent to President Asif Ali Zardari. They said significant administrative changes, including appointing a new chief secretary, could accompany any decision.
The developments follow a meeting between President Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Saturday, during which they reviewed the country’s overall political and security situation, with particular attention to K-P, where the PTI launched its long march on October 4.
Read: PTI open to talks as long march presses on
According to sources, the president and prime minister reached an understanding on the possibility of imposing governor’s rule or an emergency in the province. However, the final decision rests with the federal cabinet, and no formal announcement had been made at the time of reporting.
The Presidency’s media wing said the meeting discussed the overall political and security situation and that separate sessions of the National Assembly and Senate had been agreed upon for Oct 13.
Emergency plan
According to sources, K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi had sent the prime minister a written explanation of the grounds for emergency measures about a week earlier, as part of the legal requirements for the proposed intervention.
The reported advice argues that the province’s law and order situation has deteriorated to the point where imposing an emergency has become necessary. Following cabinet approval, the prime minister is expected to send the advice to the president. The emergency would take effect after presidential approval, according to the sources.
The cabinet division is expected to place the relevant summary before the cabinet on Sunday, potentially through circulation. Sources said a notification detailing the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency would be issued following the required approvals.
The proposals reportedly include administrative changes across the province, particularly replacing the incumbent chief secretary with a new, stronger administrator to oversee provincial affairs. Other senior officials could also be transferred.
Read more: Tarar lambasts PTI, K-P government
Sources have separately indicated that the federal government is considering imposing an emergency in 12 districts, including eight merged tribal districts- Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, Bajaur, Mohmand, North Waziristan, South Waziristan and Lower South Waziristan- as well as Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bannu and Lakki Marwat. Another proposal under consideration would transfer certain important provincial powers to the federal government.
Naqvi, speaking informally to journalists, suggested that the government believed its options for resolving the standoff had narrowed considerably.
“What scope remains for not imposing an emergency?” he asked, urging journalists to consider how the situation could be resolved.
Naqvi said the government had made extensive efforts to find a solution and those involved could themselves explain the extent of those efforts. “We have no room left now,” he said.
Maulana Fazl
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz contacted JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to discuss the political situation and other important matters. The PM congratulated Fazl on performing Umrah and invited him to the Prime Minister’s House for a meeting, an invitation the JUI-F chief accepted.
Sources said Fazl favoured allowing more time for political negotiations and that the PTI had remained in contact with him. Consultations were expected to focus on the situation in K-P and possible ways to reduce tensions.
Tarar lambasts PTI, K-P government
On Saturday, Tarar accused the PTI government in K-P of neglecting governance and prioritising efforts to secure the release of the party’s incarcerated founder over public welfare, development and security.
“The hours that should have been spent on governance have instead been spent plotting to secure the release of a prisoner,” Tarar said at a press conference in Islamabad, attended by Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Information for K-P Affairs Ikhtiar Wali Khan and K-P MPA Jalal Khan.
Also read: Embattled K-P CM strikes defiant note
Targeting K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Tarar alleged that the provincial leadership had devoted insufficient time to governance despite more than 13 years of PTI rule in the province.
“If you do the calculations, you will find that Sohail Afridi has devoted virtually zero hours to governance,” Tarar said, alleging that the chief minister’s administration had prioritised political agitation over addressing public grievances.
