Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Tuesday, said the federal cabinet had decided to take constitutional measures under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution through mutual consultation to address the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
During a meeting with a parliamentary delegation comprising representatives of Pakistan Muslim League (Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Zia), the prime minister said an impartial technocratic advisory council had been established to assist the governor in improving law and order, strengthening the economy and eliminating terrorism in the province, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said.
PM Shehbaz Sharif took the delegation into confidence regarding the situation in KP and explained the reasons behind the federal government’s decisions. He said the conduct of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in the province and its failure to adopt an unequivocal stance against terrorism had posed risks to Pakistan’s growing economy.
The prime minister said the provincial government had neither clearly condemned terrorism nor taken effective action against terrorist groups. Referring to the sacrifices of security personnel, he said numerous members of the Pakistan Armed Forces, security forces and police had laid down their lives over the past several years while defending the country.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the federal government had provided more than Rs800 billion to KP under the National Finance Commission (NFC) arrangements to support efforts against terrorism.
However, he said, the provincial government had failed to take effective measures to strengthen the capacity of its Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and establish Safe City projects to improve its counterterrorism capabilities. The prime minister also criticised the PTI and the provincial government over their performance during the past 13 years, alleging that they had failed to deliver adequately in public welfare and protect the lives and property of citizens.
The parliamentary delegation expressed its support for the federal government amid the prevailing situation and appreciated the prime minister’s leadership during what it described as difficult circumstances. The delegation also said the people of KP had remained deprived of adequate development in health, education and infrastructure during the PTI’s tenure in the province. It expressed confidence that, with the federal government’s cooperation, development and prosperity in KP would advance in line with other parts of the country.
The delegation included BAP President and Federal Minister Khalid Magsi, former Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, senators Manzoor Kakar, Abdul Qadir Baloch, Dinesh Kumar and Samina Mumtaz Zehri; PML-Q President and Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain; and representatives of the IPP and PML-Zia.
Separately, a delegation of the MQM-P, led by Federal Minister for Education Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Tuesday to discuss the country’s overall political situation.
During the meeting, the prime minister briefed the delegation on the situation in KP, saying that a difficult decision had to be made in the best interests of the province’s people.
He said the government had made every possible effort to avoid taking such an extreme step and had engaged in negotiations with an open mind. However, he added, the other side had failed to respond positively to the government’s efforts. The prime minister expressed concern over escalating terrorist attacks in KP, stating that civilians and security personnel were being targeted while the provincial government had failed to openly condemn terrorist groups.
He further alleged that the long march was part of a conspiracy aimed at undermining the country’s improving economic situation. The MQM-P delegation assured the prime minister of its full support for the government’s decisions concerning KP.
Moreover, Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said the government had been left with no option but to impose emergency and governor’s rule in KP after efforts to resolve the situation through dialogue failed, stressing that restoring peace, improving law and order and accelerating development in the province were its top priorities.
Addressing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) parliamentary party meeting here, the prime minister said the decision had been taken after consultations with allied parties and in view of the deteriorating security situation and the need to protect the country’s development trajectory.
He said the government had made sustained efforts to engage the provincial leadership in dialogue and offered cooperation to address terrorism and promote development. However, those efforts did not produce an agreement, leaving the federal government with no alternative but to proceed with the decision, he added.
“It’s now or never,” the prime minister recalled telling the federal cabinet while explaining the urgency of the situation.
He said the cabinet meeting, held detailed discussions before reaching the decision. The prime minister said an advisory council has been constituted comprising experts and professionals to help improve governance and address the province’s pressing challenges.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the foremost objective was to restore peace and eliminate terrorism, while strengthening the police and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), improving their capacity and establishing Safe City projects. Meanwhile, a joint session of Parliament has been summoned for Thursday, October 15, at 11am, well-placed sources said. The joint session is likely to approve the imposition of governor’s rule in KP, the sources added. They said that PPP will vote in favour of the resolution.