Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday defended the imposition of an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), saying the government had been left with no other option amid fears of bloodshed during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march and a breakdown of law and order.
The remarks came amid continuing political tensions following the federal government's imposition of emergency and governor's rule in K-P on October 11 under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, which suspended the PTI-led provincial administration and transferred executive authority to Governor Faisal Karim Kundi.
The federal government defended the decision by citing security concerns and a lack of cooperation from the provincial government.
“We were left with no other option. We understood that we could not simply remain silent and watch bloodshed unfold,” the prime minister said while explaining the circumstances that led to the decision during a media talk in Gujranwala.
Invoking the familiar expression about Rome burning while Nero played his fiddle, PM Shehbaz said the government could not continue to watch the situation deteriorate and risk being held responsible by future generations.
“That would have amounted to criminal negligence,” he said, adding that the decision had been taken in the best interests of Pakistan. He prayed that it would produce positive results.
The prime minister made the remarks during a visit to Gujranwala, where he was accompanied by Federal Ministers Azam Nazeer Tarar and Attaullah Tarar to offer condolences on the death of Barrister Mahmood Virk, a party worker.
Describing the deceased as a loyal party worker and a decent person, the premier acknowledged his contributions.
During the speech, he appreciated Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s performance and hoped her efforts would bring prosperity.
Turning to the situation in K-P, the prime minister said he had held several meetings with the province’s former chief minister and also with Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, making what he described as sincere efforts to address the issues facing the province.
Read: K-P is rich in minerals; we will 'extract and sell them', says Kundi
He said K-P was an integral and beautiful part of Pakistan, whose people possessed courage and resilience, and that the federal government remained willing to extend all possible assistance for the province’s development and prosperity. However, he noted that the province was suffering from a spate of violence.
PM Shehbaz said the security situation, particularly the resurgence of terrorism and infiltration from Afghanistan since 2018, required collective efforts to defeat terror groups. The premier pledged to provide “all available resources and administrative facilities” to eliminate the menace.
He regretted that law-enforcement personnel and security forces, including Pakistan Army officers, continued to sacrifice their lives in the fight against terrorism. Innocent civilians, including women and children, had also been killed in attacks, he added.
The prime minister said the government had made repeated efforts to defuse political tensions in view of the poor security outlook but alleged that long marches and protests organised by the PTI had disrupted the country’s functioning one after the other.
Recalling the political turmoil of 2013-14, he said the unrest had brought economic activity to a standstill and affected imports, exports, agriculture and employment, inflicting what he described as enormous and irreparable losses on the country.
He said similar disruption had occurred last year and alleged that PTI had planned widespread violence during the October long march.
According to PM Shehbaz, the government had established a committee and held discussions with the relevant parties for around 48 hours in an effort to reach a negotiated settlement and stop the long march from happening.
“A comprehensive agreement had eventually been prepared, with the expectation that PTI would withdraw its call for a long march while Pakistan pursued economic recovery and development, but the talks fell out after consultations with the now-suspended K-P chief minister.”
He also referred to disagreements over consultations with the K-P chief minister, saying the situation had subsequently deteriorated and the government could not ignore the risk of further violence.
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Now that the march had stopped, the prime minister said Pakistan’s international standing improved and the domestic economy had begun to stabilise.
“Today, the economy has not only stabilised but is gradually moving towards recovery and growth.”
Advisory council to oversee K-P
Defending the interim governance decision for two months, the prime minister said the government had concluded that inaction was no longer an option for the sake of the people of the province.
He said an advisory council had been established to help address the situation, describing it as a neutral body whose members were overwhelmingly non-political and included highly respected individuals.
“God willing, this council will help fix the situation in K-P,” he said, adding that he would remain involved and attend its meetings whenever required.
The prime minister expressed hope that the measures would improve the situation and help restore peace and stability in the province.
War in the Gulf and its impact on Pakistan
Referring to the impact of unrest in the Middle East and resulting inflationary pressures, he said the government had provided relief to the public through a fuel subsidy scheme.
He said the initiative had benefited around 12 million people, including motorcyclists, rickshaw users and owners of vehicles up to 800cc. The provincial government had allocated Rs75 billion for the scheme, which was intended to be utilised by the end of the year, he added.
PM Shehbaz noted that given the average household size of 5-6 people per family, the scheme’s indirect benefits could extend to nearly 65 million people.
‘Consultations not an option anymore’
Separately, PTI leader Asad Qaiser has said that talks are not on the cards after what the federal government has done.
“There is no room for consultations after what the federal government has done [imposed governor’s rule and emergency],” Qaiser outlined.
He said that from now on, all decisions would be undertaken by the joint opposition after careful deliberations and in uniformity. He also said all the opposition parties will put forth their stance and reach a conclusion in the All Parties Conference.
“PTI will not engage in talks on its own as the government is guilty of mishandling the situation,” he added.
The PTI stalwart lamented that CM Afridi and Speaker Babar Saleem Swati were arrested.
“Is this a democratic move?” he questioned.
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