PM Shehbaz meets President Zardari as Centre mulls imposition of emergency in KP
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday met with President Asif Ali Zardari, with the country’s overall security and political situation coming under discussion as the federal government mulls imposing an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A statement issued by the President House said the premier was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Adviser to the Prime…
On Saturday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with President Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the country's security and political situation, with a focus on the potential imposition of emergency measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Accompanying the premier were Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Foreign Minister Rana Sanaullah, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.
Additionally, PPP politician Sherry Rehman and Syed Naveed Qamar attended the meeting. The government decided to hold separate sessions of the National Assembly and Senate on Tuesday (October 13).
The controversy surrounding the potential emergency in KP arises from the PML-N-led federal government and the PTI-led KP government being at odds over various issues, particularly counterterrorism policy. The PTI claims it is excluded from security decisions concerning KP, which the federal government denies. The opposition party also demands a review of the counterterrorism policy, while the federal government criticizes the KP government's efforts against terrorism and objects to its stance on dialogue with the Afghan Taliban.
Federal ministers have accused the PTI of staging a protest march despite being warned against it, and have linked the ongoing disputes to the possibility of an emergency or governor's rule in KP. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar criticized the provincial government for failing to upgrade the Counter Terrorism Department, establish forensic labs, or install safe city cameras. Meanwhile, the PTI spent the allocated funds on organizing protests, according to the information minister.
Minister of State for Interior Affairs Tallal Chaudhry stated that consultations are ongoing regarding the potential emergency in KP, emphasizing that this is a last resort due to the PTI's failure to cooperate in the fight against terrorism and inciting people against national policy during the long march. Chaudhry noted that various options were being explored, but stressed that ties with the PTI remain intact, as they are the opposition in parliament and currently govern KP.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
