Governor's rule in K-P tied to counterterrorism cooperation, not long march: Sanaullah

Governor’s rule in K-P tied to counterterrorism cooperation, not long march: Sanaullah

Talk of governor’s rule in K-P is linked to counterterrorism cooperation, not the PTI’s long march, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Friday, adding that the matter could be resolved if the provincial government stood with the federal government and law enforcement agencies.

Speaking on the private television programme Naya Pakistan, Sanaullah said negotiations with the PTI appeared to be heading towards a dead end, as the party did not seem willing to abandon its long march plan and accept the offer of talks. He said the matter could be settled if PTI leaders and Chief Minister Sohail Afridi declared their support for the federal government and law enforcement agencies in the fight against terrorism.

No link to the long march, says Sanaullah

He stressed that the proposed governor’s rule in K-P had nothing to do with the long march.

“If they do not make this commitment, then whether they hold the long march all the way to Islamabad or keep it short of Islamabad will make no difference,” he said.

The PML-N leader said the K-P chief minister had stated that no military operation would be allowed in the province. Sanaullah replied there would be no need to displace people or evacuate valleys: the proposed measures would involve intelligence-based operations within the territorial jurisdiction, not IDP camps.

K-P law minister calls statements ambiguous

During the same programme, K-P Law Minister Aftab Alam expressed surprise at what he described as ambiguity in statements by federal ministers on the proposed measures.

“One minister says that if the long march is not called off, an emergency will be imposed, while another says that the government wants to impose an emergency or governor’s rule because the provincial government is not cooperating with the federation on terrorism-related matters,” he said.

Alam said a narrative was being built against the K-P government as part of what he called a “nefarious conspiracy”. “Our stance is clear: this war is ours even before it is the federation’s,” he said, maintaining the PTI and the K-P government stood with law enforcement agencies in the fight against terrorism.

Governor’s rule in K-P debate continues

The issue has become a major point of contention between the federal and K-P governments. On September 21, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the government was consulting the law ministry on legal options, including governor’s rule, if the PTI proceeded with its long march. Two days later, Information Minister Atta Tarar ruled out any such plan.

Afridi rejected the warnings, saying he would not retreat because of threats of governor’s rule or an emergency, and warned PTI supporters could take to the streets at short notice if an attempt was made to remove him.

The government and opposition held two days of negotiations that initially appeared to be bearing fruit, but a deadlock emerged just as agreement neared on most contentious issues. The government blamed Afridi; the PTI said the talks broke down over its demand for a meeting with the party’s founder.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif once again offered talks if the party ended its long march and sit-ins. The PTI rejected the offer as its march entered its sixth day on Friday, with the convoy moving towards Charsadda under Afridi’s lead.

Frequently asked questions

What did Sanaullah say about governor’s rule in K-P?

Rana Sanaullah said talk of governor’s rule in K-P was tied to counterterrorism cooperation, not the PTI’s long march, and could be resolved if the province stood with the federation.

Would the proposed measures displace people?

No. Sanaullah said they would involve intelligence-based operations, not evacuations or IDP camps.

How did the K-P government respond?

K-P Law Minister Aftab Alam called federal ministers’ statements ambiguous and insisted the PTI government stood with law enforcement agencies.

Where has the PTI long march reached?

The march entered its sixth day on Friday, the convoy moving towards Charsadda under Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.