Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar told the joint sitting of Parliament on Thursday that the constitutional procedure had been followed and all legal requirements for imposing an emergency or governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been fulfilled. Speaking in the House, he said the provincial governor had fulfilled his constitutional responsibility and that all legal requirements had been met.
The minister said that the contents of the governor’s letter had already been made public and discussed in the media. He said that the governor had also held a press conference and delivered a speech, stating that he had fulfilled his
constitutional duty.
Tarar said that the use of Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution was not unprecedented, as similar provisions had been invoked in the past. He said the Constitution laid down a specific procedure for presenting a proclamation before the relevant forum and securing its approval.
Referring to the constitutional provisions and amendments introduced in 2010, the law minister said lawmakers had deliberately used specific wording to define the legal requirements and responsibilities.
He said that the Constitution required a proclamation to be presented for approval. The relevant provisions, he added, should be interpreted according to their exact wording rather than as a general requirement to discuss every related document.
Responding to points raised during the debate, Tarar referred to previous constitutional cases, including those heard by the Supreme Court.
He said that the courts had examined similar questions in the past and that constitutional issues should be addressed after carefully reviewing the relevant provisions and
judicial record.
The minister urged lawmakers to exercise caution when discussing legal matters and avoid unnecessary statements that could have legal
consequences.
Former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Thursday urged political parties to promote dialogue and adopt a constructive approach to political differences, saying confrontational politics had caused losses to the country, its political system and democracy. Speaking during a parliamentary debate on the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency, he said such measures were constitutional matters, but democratic forces generally tried to avoid them. However, circumstances sometimes forced governments to take difficult decisions.
Recalling his tenure as prime minister, he said governor’s rule had been imposed in Balochistan despite the provincial government being led by a chief minister from his
own party.
He said the issue should also be viewed in the context of political attitudes and the failure to resolve differences through negotiations.
“Politics is about dialogue and negotiations. A politician sits at the table, listens to others, presents his own point of view and tries to reach an understanding,” he said, adding that refusing to engage with political opponents weakened the democratic process. Ashraf said political parties should reflect on why negotiations often failed despite discussions on democracy, the Constitution and the country’s future.
Referring to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he said its confrontational approach during its time in power had contributed to political tensions.
He recalled raising concerns in 2018 over the direction of the government and its approach towards parliamentary affairs.
He said political popularity should translate into benefits for the country, its people and the party itself.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary on Thursday said the government had decided to eliminate terrorism from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), adding that the emergency would remain in place until terrorism was completely eradicated from the province.
Speaking at a joint sitting of Parliament, he said the imposition of emergency was neither a victory nor a defeat for any political party but a necessary step in view of the prevailing law and order situation.
The minister said the federal government had been informing the media for the past 10 to 15 days that it was seriously considering imposing emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He added that all necessary preparations had subsequently been completed. Dr Tariq appreciated the speaker of the National Assembly for facilitating negotiations between the government and the opposition. However, he regretted that the response from the other side had not been encouraging.
He alleged that the provincial government’s lack of seriousness in tackling terrorism and its failure to cooperate with the federal government had contributed to the decision to impose emergency.
Referring to the sacrifices of security personnel, the minister said the seriousness of the terrorism situation could be understood by visiting the families of police personnel and Pakistan Army soldiers who had lost their lives in the line of duty.
He said the measure had been taken to prevent further loss of precious lives in terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings.
The minister also appreciated the chair for issuing production orders for opposition members in jail, describing the move as commendable.
Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and SAFRON Engineer Amir Muqam on Thursday said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had stood with Pakistan and the state in the fight against terrorism despite losing family members and facing displacement, attacks and bomb blasts.
Speaking at a joint sitting of Parliament, he said the province had suffered heavily during years of militancy. He said many people had been forced to leave their homes, while civilians and security personnel had sacrificed their lives.