ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to hold a round of consultations with Shehbaz Sharif allies as his government braces for a PTI protest march on the capital and weighs tougher options in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A source in the Prime Minister’s House said Shehbaz was likely to meet President Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. The PPP has been invited to a planned opposition multiparty moot, and the premier is expected to take the party into confidence on the KP question.
High on the agenda is the possible imposition of governor’s rule in the PTI-ruled province, where the Centre says terrorism is on the rise. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called on the president in Karachi recently, and the prime minister decided to consult the president and the PPP after that meeting.
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said Shehbaz was briefed on the political situation soon after returning from the United States. “The PM was also apprised that the government reserved the right (to impose emergency) under the Constitution,” he said on television.
Over the past week, the KP government has been warned that the Centre would have no other option but to impose governor’s rule in light of the security situation and the PTI’s Oct 4 protest call. The opposition party has warned of dire consequences if such a decision is imposed.
A meeting between the prime minister and National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai may also take place to defuse the crisis. Shehbaz had invited Achakzai for consultations on national issues before leaving for the US. With the PTI march set to begin on Oct 4, a meeting with the opposition could bear fruit for the government before that date.
Shehbaz is also expected to meet Jamaat-i-Islami leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman to discuss the petroleum levy. The JI chief had warned of resuming his march in the first week of October if talks with the prime minister did not succeed.
Shehbaz Sharif allies: PML-N, PPP hold delegation-level talks
A delegation-level meeting between the PML-N and the PPP took place on Wednesday in the chamber of the National Assembly speaker. PPP’s Sherry Rehman and Syed Naveed Qamar met Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry to discuss KP’s fate.
After the meeting, Tarar told reporters at Parliament House that an emergency was also discussed with the PPP members. “Imposition of the governor’s rule is a constitutional right which can be imposed when the situation requires it. In KP, people are martyred every day,” he added.
Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the imposition of an emergency through Article 232 of the Constitution was under consideration due to terrorism in KP. “Emergency can be imposed not because of any political reason but due to increasing terrorism in the province,” he added. He claimed the PPP would support all decisions of the government on security issues.
Following the meeting, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq met the prime minister and discussed the legislation to be tabled in parliament, while also apprising him of the PPP’s stance on governor’s rule in KP.
Four bills came up for the forthcoming National Assembly session: the Port Qasim Authority (Amendment) Bill, the Gwadar Port Authority (Amendment) Bill, the Karachi Port Authority (Amendment) Bill, and the Life Insurance Nationalization (Amendment) Bill. The PPP has agreed on three of the bills and rejected one. A source in the NA Secretariat said the bills were linked to directives of the International Monetary Fund.
Shehbaz Sharif allies: Bukhari urges dialogue
Earlier, PPP leader Nayyar Bukhari said the party would offer its recommendations within the framework of the Constitution and law if asked for an opinion on governor’s rule. In a statement, he said the Constitution provided a course of action if a provincial government failed to fulfil its constitutional and administrative responsibilities.
“The security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is extremely alarming,” Bukhari said, adding that residents in various parts of the province, including the chief minister’s home district, were forced to remain indoors after sunset.
He said the PTI’s priorities appeared to be focused on the release of one individual rather than resolving public issues. The use of provincial resources for a march on Islamabad and the use of government authority for political purposes were matters of concern, he added.
Bukhari said the PPP had always believed in political dialogue and negotiations, adding that the party had held talks even with its fiercest political opponents because national issues could be resolved through dialogue rather than force and confrontation.
Shehbaz Sharif allies: Why is the government considering governor’s rule in KP?
The Centre says rising terrorism in the province has made normal governance difficult and that Article 232 of the Constitution allows an emergency when the situation requires it. Ministers insist the move would be driven by security, not politics.
What is the PTI’s Oct 4 march about?
The PTI has announced a march on Islamabad on Oct 4 as part of its nationwide protest to demand the release of its founder, Imran Khan. The government has warned the party of consequences if it goes ahead.
Shehbaz Sharif allies: What did the PPP say about governor’s rule?
The PPP has not given a final answer. Its leaders say the party will respond strictly within the Constitution and law if formally consulted, and they have called the KP security situation deeply alarming.
Which bills came up in the PML-N-PPP meeting?
Four amendment bills for the coming National Assembly session were discussed, covering the Port Qasim, Gwadar and Karachi port authorities and the nationalisation of life insurance. The PPP agreed to three and rejected one.
