Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said on Friday that the Centre had finished deliberating on the imposition of an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, warning that it would avail the option if the provincial government did not cooperate on counterterrorism.
The minister made these remarks on Geo News programme âAaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saathâ, during which he also refused to confirm reports that a high-level meeting was expected on Saturday to decide on the imposition of an emergency in KP.
âThe matter of any decisive meeting is not final, nor has it been notified,â he said.
The Centre has warned the PTI-led KP government in recent days of sending it packing through an emergency or governorâs rule as the party goes ahead with a protest march to demand the release of its jailed founder, Imran Khan. Federal ministers have cited the security situation in KP in this connection with the possibility of a state of emergency in the province.
Regarding the reports that the government was considering implementing an emergency in 12 districts of KP, he said, âThe reality is that the government has completed its deliberation regarding the implementation of an emergency. Now it is in the hands of the KP government what role it plays in this regard.â
The Centre and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) had to end terrorism in KP no matter what, he said, adding that it would be better if provincial government were to cooperate and play a part in this.
âBut if they donât want to get involved, then our other option is that after imposing an emergency, terrorism be wiped out, terrorists be eradicated â and as for that Article 232 ⌠it is for the whole province, not just 12 districts,â he added.
On the matter of these districts âextremely affected by terrorismâ, Chaudhry said that âextraordinary measures are the need of the hourâ.
However, when questioned, he categorically stated that the consideration of imposing an emergency had âdefinitively no relationâ to the PTIâs ongoing long march, adding that the simultaneous occurrence of the long march and the mulling of an emergency declaration âcould be a coincidenceâ.
Rather, he said, the Centreâs deliberations on imposing an emergency had been ongoing for a long time, as an increasing number of police and LEA personnel were being martyred in the province. He claimed that many efforts had been made to bring the KP government on board to play their role, but they were instead âstanding like a wallâ in front of the Centreâs peace efforts.
âThere is a cutoff point, at which one has to decide that the final and decisive elimination of terrorists must be done,â the minister said.
Although he said no decision had been made regarding a date for the âcutoffâ. Chaudhry continued that the federal government had reached the conclusion that further delay in the fight against terrorism was not possible: âTerrorists cannot be given more time to keep carrying out these actions against citizensâ lives and properties and against LEAs.â
However, he emphasised that the final decision had definitely been made to take âdecisive action to end terrorism in KPâ.
The minister added that he had met with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who is said to have offered to play a role in breaking the deadlock in negotiations between the PTI and federal government. He stated that this option was present, while noting that the âball is in the KP governmentâs courtâ.
âThe PTI doesnât even have consensus within their own party on whether they are ready to appoint Maulana Fazlur Rehman as an arbitrator for talks ⌠so how can negotiations move forward?â he said.
He added, however, the door for negotiations and dialogue among political parties ânever closes permanentlyâ, and that assurance of cooperation from PTI leadership regarding counterterrorism efforts was the âfoundation for a permanent solutionâ.
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