Emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the table at Aiwan-e-Sadr
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Saturday, as the federal government weighs imposing an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The two leaders reviewed the political and security situation, with the crisis in the PTI-ruled province dominating the discussion.
According to a statement issued by the President House, the meeting agreed to summon separate sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate on Tuesday, October 13. The federal cabinet is expected to take up the emergency proposal on Sunday. Dawn’s report on the meeting describes the Centre as still weighing the option, while other outlets reported an agreement in principle.
The prime minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Adviser Rana Sanaullah, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema. President Zardari was assisted by PPP leaders Sherry Rehman and Naveed Qamar, along with Saleem Mandviwalla and Dr Asim Hussain.
Sources said the meeting also reviewed a law and order report submitted by KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi. The two leaders had met earlier this month on Centre-KP tensions, but Saturday’s session focused directly on the emergency question.
“A last resort”: minister strikes a cautious note
While the meeting moved the process forward, the government struck a careful tone in public. Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said consultations were continuing, and described the emergency as a step the government did not prefer.
“This is a last resort,” Chaudhry said in a television interview. He added that talks and backdoor discussions had already been tried, and that multiple options were being examined.
“It looks like things are headed towards the last option,” he said, pointing to what he described as the PTI’s failure to cooperate with the federal government against terrorism. He maintained that ties with the PTI remained intact, as the party sits in opposition and runs the KP government.
Why the Centre is considering the move
The proposal has grown out of a deepening standoff between the PML-N-led federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration. The two sides have clashed over counterterrorism policy, and direct talks broke down on October 3.
The PTI says it is being excluded from security decisions concerning the province, a claim the Centre denies. The party has also demanded a review of the national counterterrorism policy. The federal government, in turn, has criticised the province’s record against militancy.
The PTI’s protest long march has added fuel to the dispute. The convoy, led by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, reached Mardan on the seventh day of the march and continues towards Islamabad. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar alleged on Saturday that the KP government had received Rs700 billion under the National Finance Commission but failed to upgrade its counterterrorism infrastructure. The PTI rejects the allegation. The parliamentary affairs minister had first floated the emergency proposal publicly earlier this month.
What happens next
The immediate test comes on Sunday, when the federal cabinet meets to consider the proposal. If it goes ahead, the National Assembly and Senate sessions on October 13 will be asked to endorse the move.
Meanwhile, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has stepped in as a possible bridge between the sides. The prime minister invited him for talks at the Prime Minister House on Saturday, and the JUI-F says Fazl is acting as a facilitator rather than a mediator.
The PTI has drawn its own red line. Chief Minister Afridi has rejected any move towards governor’s rule or an emergency, calling it illegal. With the long march still on the road and Section 144 in force across Rawalpindi district for a month, the coming week could decide whether the Centre and the province step back from confrontation or walk straight into it.
Frequently asked questions
What did Shehbaz Sharif and Asif Zardari agree at Saturday’s meeting?
They agreed to summon separate National Assembly and Senate sessions on Tuesday, October 13, while the federal cabinet takes up the emergency proposal on Sunday.
When will a decision on the KP emergency be made?
The federal cabinet meets on Sunday, October 11, to consider the proposal. Parliament’s two houses will then be asked to endorse any move at their sessions on October 13.
Why is the government considering an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
The Centre cites worsening security and the PTI government’s alleged failure to cooperate on counterterrorism. The breakdown of talks on October 3 and the ongoing PTI long march have deepened the standoff.
What has the PTI said about the emergency proposal?
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has rejected any move towards an emergency or governor’s rule, calling it an illegal step.
