Bilawal says governor's rule is last option for KP, warns PTI over 'extremist politics'
Bilawal says governor’s rule is last option for KP, warns PTI over ‘extremist politics’
Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Friday that governor’s rule remained the last option available for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid the province’s deepening political crisis, as the PTI’s long march entered its fifth day and a second round of talks between the government and the opposition began in Islamabad.
Speaking at a ceremony in Karachi, Bilawal said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was suffering the most from what he called extremist politics. He warned that if politics of extremism remained the party’s obsession, it would no longer remain part of the provincial government in KP.
PTI will keep disappointing its workers, Bilawal says
The PPP chairman said the PTI enjoyed public support but kept disappointing the people because of its decisions. He argued that if the party continued with its current style of politics, it would disappoint its own workers, who would keep voting for it but would not be able to bring it back into government.
Bilawal has repeatedly urged the PTI to abandon confrontational politics and return to democratic norms, arguing that attacks on state institutions invite a harsh response from the state. His remarks on Friday tied that long-running argument directly to the fate of the PTI’s government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Why governor’s rule is being discussed
Under Article 234 of the Constitution, the president can impose governor’s rule in a province on the advice of the federal government, effectively suspending the provincial assembly and handing executive authority to the governor. It is a drastic constitutional step, used rarely in Pakistan’s history, and the centre has already been reported to be weighing an emergency in KP as the standoff over the long march drags on.
The talk of governor’s rule follows days of confrontation between KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. Kundi convened a security meeting with the chief secretary and the police chief earlier this week, a move Afridi called unconstitutional. The governor, meanwhile, has said emergency rule or governor’s rule could be imposed if the president and prime minister considered it necessary for the security situation.
What happens next
With the PTI convoy now in Peshawar and marching towards Islamabad, and negotiators from both sides meeting in the capital, the coming days will decide whether the crisis is defused at the table or escalates further. Bilawal’s warning signals that the PPP, a key coalition partner, would not stand in the way if the federal government decides the constitutional route is its only remaining option.
Frequently asked questions
What is governor’s rule in Pakistan?
Governor’s rule is a constitutional provision under Article 234 that allows the federal government, through the president, to assume direct control of a province when its government cannot function. The provincial assembly is suspended and the governor runs the province’s affairs.
Has governor’s rule been imposed before?
Yes, though rarely. One of the most cited instances was in Punjab in 2009, when the provincial government was dismissed following the disqualification of the Sharif brothers by the Supreme Court.
What did Bilawal say about the PTI?
He said the party had public support but kept disappointing people through its decisions, and warned that continued extremist politics would cost it the KP government, leaving its workers voting for a party unable to form a government.
