ISLAMABAD – A joint sitting of Parliament began under the chairmanship of National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq to endorse the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The session was scheduled for 11am to consider the provincial emergency and governor’s rule.
A day earlier, the National Assembly and Senate had endorsed the imposition of an emergency in the province, amid protests by opposition lawmakers. Opposition members staged a walkout from the Senate.
During the National Assembly session, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq renewed his offer of dialogue to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), while production orders were issued for PTI lawmakers Sanaullah Mastikhel and Dawar Kundi.
Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the National Assembly speaker was working on production orders for PTI members who were reportedly missing.
Speaking on a television programme, Chaudhry said the emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been imposed for an indefinite period, while governor’s rule would remain in place for six months. He added that the provincial assembly led by the chief minister would not be restored if the emergency continued.
PTI leader Dr Nisar Ahmad Jatt, who also appeared on the programme, claimed that YouTubers had lost their influence within the party. He alleged that PTI supporters operating from outside the country had misled the party.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had supported the imposition of governor’s rule and an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during his address to the National Assembly a day earlier.
Bilawal renewed his offer of negotiations to the opposition and advised the government to take the initiative to break the political deadlock.
He urged opposition lawmakers to recognise the authority of Parliament even if they did not accept the prime minister, stressing that political forces needed to reach a consensus on fundamental issues.
The PPP chairman also called on the opposition to play a responsible role in combating terrorism and engage with the government to create conditions that would make the emergency unnecessary.
He said that if the opposition helped create such political circumstances, his party would ask the prime minister to withdraw the emergency.