PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja has rejected claims that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi sank the party’s negotiations with the federal government. In a television interview on Thursday, he said the talks collapsed for two reasons: the government denied PTI founder Imran Khan access to his personal physicians, and it refused a consultative approach on K-P’s counterterrorism policy. “These were the two principal reasons why the talks collapsed,” Raja said, alleging that the government had deliberately undermined the negotiations.
Raja calls emergency and governor’s rule unconstitutional
The PTI leader described the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province as unconstitutional, alleging the government introduced the measures to take control of the provincial administration. “They just wanted to take over the province,” he said.
Raja said an all-parties conference (APC) was being planned within the next 10 days, or earlier, to discuss the prevailing political situation. “This is a political issue and therefore all political parties must play their role,” he said.
He disclosed that several political parties were in contact with him over the situation, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
On Mehmood Khan Achakzai’s role, Raja said the final decision rested with the PTI founder, describing the PkMAP chairman and MWM chief Allama Nasir Abbas as a shield for the party.
Ali Zafar denies talks are imminent
Separately, PTI leader and Senator Syed Ali Zafar denied that negotiations with the government were imminent. He said decisions concerning the party would be made by its parliamentary party.
“We are yet to determine the terms of reference,” Zafar said while speaking to a journalist from the same television channel. He further alleged that the government had decided to impose governor’s rule around one and a half months earlier.
Yousafzai distances PTI from YouTubers
PTI’s K-P information secretary Shaukat Ali Yousafzai on Thursday distanced the party from YouTubers campaigning against state institutions. He said they had no links with PTI and that such campaigns had negatively affected the party.
Yousafzai said Imran Khan had always referred to the armed forces as his own institution, adding that no other viewpoint would be entertained. He called it unjustified to label PTI leaders or workers as facilitators of terrorists, and said the government had used security concerns as a pretext for emergency and governor’s rule. He expressed confidence in Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Salman Akram Raja, adding that he would not be “intimidated by a YouTuber” based overseas.
Background: how the K-P deadlock unfolded
The debate over emergency and governor’s rule in K-P intensified in late September amid worsening security concerns and tensions between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration.
On October 11, President Asif Ali Zardari approved the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, following federal cabinet approval. The government cited escalating terrorist attacks and what it described as a breakdown of the constitutional system. The measures invoked Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, and the army was authorised to assist the civil administration.
The move transferred executive authority from the elected provincial government to Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and affected 12 districts. It marked the fourth spell of governor’s rule in the province, after 1975, 1994 and 1999. On October 12, PTI challenged the measures in the Peshawar High Court. Three days later, a joint sitting of Parliament endorsed the emergency and governor’s rule for two months despite opposition protests.
So far, the government and the opposition remain at loggerheads regarding the governance of the province. Readers can follow the earlier phases of this standoff in our report on Shehbaz Sharif’s outreach to allies as the PTI standoff deepened.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the PTI-government talks collapse?
Raja says the talks failed because the government denied Imran Khan access to his personal physicians and refused a consultative approach on K-P counterterrorism policy. He rejects claims that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi sabotaged the negotiations.
What is the all-parties conference announced by PTI?
Raja said an APC would be held within 10 days to discuss the political situation in K-P, with several parties including JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in contact.
When was emergency imposed in K-P?
President Asif Ali Zardari approved emergency and governor’s rule on October 11 on the prime minister’s advice and after cabinet approval. Parliament endorsed both measures for two months on October 15.
