Federal government ready to impose emergency in KP

The federal government has completed preparations to impose governor’s rule or an emergency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said on Friday. He said the provincial government must decide whether to cooperate with the Centre in the fight against terrorism.

Speaking on a television programme, Chaudhry said the government wanted to eliminate terrorism from the province. He urged the KP government to work with federal authorities and law enforcement agencies to improve the security situation.

He warned that the federal government could impose an emergency if the provincial government failed to cooperate. He also clarified that the proposed emergency would cover the entire province, not just 12 districts.

Chaudhry said the government had completed its preparations for the possible move. However, he did not announce a date for the decision. He said the government believed that further delays in taking action against terrorists were no longer possible.

The minister also rejected claims that the proposed emergency was linked to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) long march towards Islamabad. He said the government had handled major political marches in the past and was prepared to deal with the current protest.

He added that the march was not a major challenge for the government. He maintained that the proposed emergency was aimed at addressing terrorism in KP.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah also said that the possible imposition of governor’s rule or an emergency was linked to counterterrorism efforts. He said the decision was not connected to the PTI’s long march.

Sanaullah said the issue could be resolved if the KP government agreed to support the federal government and security agencies in the fight against terrorism. He called on Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and PTI leaders to clearly state their position on the matter.

He said the provincial government’s cooperation was necessary to deal with security threats. He also expressed concern over the failure of recent talks between the government and opposition.

According to Sanaullah, the negotiations appeared to have reached a dead end. He said the PTI was continuing with its plan to march towards Islamabad instead of accepting the government’s offer for further talks.

The adviser also referred to recent statements by Chief Minister Afridi opposing military operations in the province. He said the federal government wanted clear support from the provincial administration in dealing with terrorists.

Sanaullah explained that an emergency would not mean the forced removal of residents from their homes. He said there would be no need to evacuate entire valleys or displace people on a large scale.

He added that security agencies could carry out intelligence-based operations within the province. These operations would aim to target terrorists without forcing local residents to leave their homes.

However, KP Law Minister Aftab Alam questioned the federal government’s position. He said different statements by federal ministers had created confusion about the reasons behind the proposed emergency.

Alam said some ministers had linked the possible emergency to the PTI’s long march. Others had said it was being considered because of the provincial government’s alleged lack of cooperation in counterterrorism efforts.

He alleged that a campaign was being launched against the KP government. He also rejected suggestions that the provincial administration was not supporting the fight against terrorism.

The law minister said the PTI and the KP government stood with law enforcement agencies. He added that the provincial government had strengthened the police and remained committed to fighting terrorism.

The possibility of governor’s rule in KP has increased tensions between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration. The issue has remained under discussion for several weeks.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi earlier said the government was examining legal options, including governor’s rule, if the PTI continued with its planned march. Information Minister Atta Tarar later said the government had no plan to remove the provincial administration.

Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam also said consultations were taking place on the constitutional and legal options available to the federal government.

Chief Minister Afridi has rejected the warnings. He said he would not change his position because of threats of governor’s rule or an emergency. He also warned that PTI supporters could take to the streets if the federal government attempted to remove his government.

The latest developments follow the failure of talks between the government and opposition parties. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed a committee to negotiate with the PTI and other opposition groups.

The talks aimed to address the PTI’s planned long march and concerns over the worsening security situation in K-P. The discussions continued for two days and initially showed signs of progress.

However, the negotiations ended in a deadlock over several issues. The PTI demanded a meeting with its founder, Imran Khan, who is currently in jail. The party said the government’s refusal to accept this demand led to the failure of the talks.

The government, meanwhile, blamed the KP administration, particularly Chief Minister Afridi, for the breakdown of negotiations.

After the talks failed, Afridi continued leading the PTI’s long march towards Islamabad. The protest entered its sixth day on Friday as the convoy moved towards Charsadda.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later offered to resume talks with the opposition. He said the government was ready to engage with the PTI if it ended the long march and sit-ins. However, the party rejected the offer and continued its protest.

The political situation remains tense as the PTI presses ahead with its march and the federal government considers possible measures in KP. The provincial government continues to reject allegations that it is not cooperating in the fight against terrorism.