Bilawal says KP governor's rule could end if opposition engages with Centre on counterterrorism policy

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari stated on Sunday that the opposition's willingness to engage with the Centre on counterterrorism policy could lead to an end of governor's rule and emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). He made these remarks during a visit to the Karsaz Monument in Karachi, marking the 19th anniversary of the Karsaz bombing.

The Centre imposed governor's rule and emergency in KP a week earlier, citing the provincial government's "deliberate disengagement" from the fight against terrorism. This decision followed a protest march by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in KP, which was then the opposition in the Centre, demanding the release of its jailed founder, Imran Khan.

Bilawal urged the opposition to participate in a united policy against terrorism to dissolve the emergency and governor's rule in KP. He emphasized that if the KP chief minister (Sohail Afridi) was not ready to defend his homeland and fight terrorists, the PPP was prepared to do so. The PPP chairman also lamented that Pakistan had reached a point where terrorist attacks occurred from Khyber to Khuzdar, regretting the Taliban's invitation of Afghan Taliban members to live in Pakistan's tribal areas following their 2021 takeover in Kabul.

Bilawal further stated that terrorists released from Pakistani jails and the ongoing fight against terrorism across the country were causing losses. He claimed that the KP chief minister had pledged to confront terrorists but expressed disappointment that despite the highest number of terrorist incidents in KP, its chief minister showed reluctance to face them.

Regarding the Karsaz bombing, Bilawal lamented that the greatest loss resulted from not taking terrorist incidents seriously. He highlighted that the PPP had prepared the society to fight terrorism since 2008 when they were in power and introduced the National Action Plan. The PPP adopted a holistic approach towards changing institutions to aid in combating terrorism, stressing that success was achieved when every Pakistani joined the fight against terrorists.

He urged Pakistan to address its economic crisis, adding that fighting terrorism was a priority for the PPP.

Bilawal also proposed improving Pakistan's democratic and electoral system, inviting the opposition to participate in a new National Action Plan and consensus on the fight against terrorism. He invited the opposition to join efforts to strengthen democracy, stating that if they found democracy weak in Pakistan, they should help strengthen it.

The PPP chairman emphasized that compromises were necessary for progress, citing the PPP's past successes, including the end of Gen Pervez Musharraf's dictatorship and the passage of the 1973 Constitution and 18th Amendment.