PPP Defends Governor’s Rule in KP, Says State Came First
The Pakistan Peoples Party on Tuesday defended the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying it had chosen between protecting the country and its own political interests — and prioritised the state.
PPP Central Punjab Secretary General Syed Hassan Murtaza told a press conference at the party’s Model Town secretariat in Lahore that the decision was neither a matter of pride nor happiness. He accepted that the party would pay a political price for it.
He was flanked by PPP Central Secretary General Humayun Khan, Information Secretary Shahzad Saeed Cheema and Rana Farooq Saeed.
A month of deliberation
Murtaza said the party took a month to reach the decision. During that time, he said, the PPP attempted negotiations and dialogue with the PTI, but the lack of a positive response complicated the situation.
He said the government, working with the security institutions, had tried to restore normalcy in the province. When a provincial chief minister was unwilling to engage in dialogue, he argued, alternative constitutional measures became necessary.
The notification imposing governor’s rule was signed by President Asif Ali Zardari and, Murtaza said, followed all constitutional requirements.
Humayun Khan summed up the party line: “Pakistan and its people come first; politics comes afterwards.”
Criticism of the PTI
Murtaza criticised the PTI for conditioning the resolution of public issues on the release of an individual — a reference to jailed party founder Imran Khan. He said peace and security were essential for employment, business activity and economic stability, and pointed to tax burdens on agriculture and the super tax on industry. He added that sustained economic growth required investor confidence, political stability and continuity of commercial activity.
He said that had the PTI staged protests over public issues, its position would have been politically recorded — but paralysing the system for an individual’s release was not appropriate. He questioned whether allowing insecurity and what he described as lawlessness in the province would have been a better alternative.
He also recalled that the PPP had itself lived under governor’s rule and military regimes, citing the sacrifices of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto and Shahnawaz Bhutto.
The KP standoff continues
The defence comes as the Centre and the PTI remain locked in a bitter standoff over KP. The PTI has called October 11 — the day the emergency and governor’s rule were imposed — a black day for democracy, and has challenged the move in the Peshawar High Court.
Related:
- Amir Muqam Press Conference on Governor’s Rule in Peshawar
- Afridi Rejects Governor’s Rule, Warns of PTI Long March
- Cabinet Meets Today on KP Emergency, Governor’s Rule
- Raja Nasir Abbas Calls Senate Negotiations a Sham Over Governor’s Rule
Frequently asked questions
Why did the PPP back governor’s rule in KP?
Hassan Murtaza said the party chose the country’s interests over its own politics after a month of deliberation and failed dialogue attempts with the PTI.
Who signed the governor’s rule notification?
President Asif Ali Zardari signed it. The PPP says all constitutional requirements were followed.
How has the PTI responded?
The PTI has called October 11 a black day for democracy and challenged the emergency and governor’s rule in the Peshawar High Court.
