AS was widely anticipated, the Federal Government moved on Sunday to take over the reins of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) citing the deteriorating security situation in the province. President Asif Ali Zardari approved the imposition of an emergency and the Governor’s rule in KP on recommendations of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who sent a summary to him for the purpose following endorsement of the move by the Federal Cabinet. Now Governor Faisal Karim Kundi will run affairs of the province with an interim cabinet of experts. Apart from Governor’s rule, emergency has simultaneously been declared in 12 districts of the province under Article 232 of the Constitution. The districts include the eight merged tribal districts (former tribal agencies), Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram, Orakzai, Bajaur, North Waziristan, South Waziristan Upper and South Waziristan Lower, along with the southern districts of Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bannu and Lakki Marwat. The selection of areas for imposition of an emergency is an indication that counter-terrorism measures will be taken with full force in troubled areas of the province like Bannu and DI Khan divisions besides some areas of Peshawar, Kohat and Malakand divisions.
In normal circumstances, it is not appropriate to remove an elected Government, even for a limited period, as the mandate of the people should be respected. However, an extraordinary situation has emerged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where militancy, terrorism and subversion have become an order of the day, taking a heavy toll of innocent lives besides almost daily attacks on personnel of law enforcement agencies and State symbols. The main argument of the Federal Government for imposing Governor’s rule and an emergency was that the Provincial Government was not extending the required assistance to address the security challenge posed by terrorists allegedly supported by Kabul and New Delhi and, in some ways, was facilitating banned outfits. At the fag end of the Centre-Province tussle, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi claimed he could improve the law and order situation within a month if allowed to implement his policy. However, the party has been ruling the province since 2013, prompting critics to question how it could deliver on this commitment in a month when it had failed to do so in over a decade.
It is also alleged that the hard-earned gains of security forces in the war against terror were neutralized by the PTI Government’s decision to rehabilitate terrorists and criminals in the province after their self-exile in Afghanistan, enabling them to reorganize and resume activities aimed at destabilizing Pakistan. The KP Government also sought to pursue its own policy towards Afghanistan despite the Constitution entrusting foreign affairs to the Centre. Recent efforts to persuade the Provincial Government to cooperate in implementing a coordinated counter-terrorism strategy failed, as the Chief Minister continued to disagree with the Federal Government’s approach. In this backdrop, the decision to impose Governor’s rule becomes understandable, as terrorists and criminals cannot be allowed a free hand. Resorting to an undesirable constitutional option may be considered a lesser evil than allowing terrorists to endanger lives and challenge the writ of the State.
The move has been strongly criticized by parties with major political stakes in KP, including PTI, JUI(F), led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI). However, these parties, their supporters, voters and sympathizers would also benefit if normalcy returned to the province and should, therefore, support efforts to address the security threat. The absence of an elected government for a few months may not make much difference, but an improvement in law and order would positively affect the lives of the people. Some quarters have drawn comparisons between KP and Balochistan, questioning why different yardsticks are being applied when both provinces face serious security challenges.
The difference, however, lies in the conduct of their provincial governments: Balochistan’s Government has supported the implementation of security policies, whereas the KP Government has resisted them, openly or subtly. The situation also offers an opportunity to lay the groundwork for socio-economic progress if the cabinet of experts, drawn from different walks of life, delivers on the expectations of its selectors and the people. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi enjoys a good reputation and, with the assistance of experienced professionals, can contribute towards improving governance and setting the province on a path of progress.
The latest developments have once again highlighted the political costs of the confrontational approach adopted by PTI. The party failed to make corrections despite the serious implications of the events of May 9 and consequently lost opportunities to expand its political space during negotiations with the Federal Government. The dismissal of its provincial government did not trigger a significant adverse reaction in KP or other PTI strongholds across the country.
Despite an intensive mobilization campaign spearheaded by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the march failed to gain the desired momentum and the procession fizzled out at Swabi following the announcement of Governor’s rule and the emergency. Internal contradictions within the party and the uncertain attitude of its allies also contributed to this outcome. Since the Federal Government has justified the extraordinary measures on the grounds of securing a free hand in the war against terror, it must now pursue that objective with determination and urgency. There should be no political witch-hunting, while political parties must set aside petty differences and help create an environment conducive to peace and stability in KP. The need for national unity and solidarity remains paramount and the doors of dialogue should remain open.