Sanaullah warns K-P govt against state revolt

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has expressed the PML-N led coalition government’s resolve to cooperate with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government but has also warned that people who attempt to rebel against the state will be dealt with as per law.

Sanaullah, who served in the last PML-N government as the interior minister, met with K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Friday to discuss the political situation in the northwestern province where jailed leader Imran Khan’s PTI party is in power.

Recently, Ali Amin Gandapur, the provincial chief minister and a firebrand PTI leader, stormed a grid station in his native Dera Ismail Khan district—which is facing long hours of load shedding amid sweltering heat—to restore electricity to a part of the city.

The CM also issued a new load-shedding schedule, limiting outages to 12 hours per day. He directed all PTI lawmakers to visit grid stations in their respective areas to ensure the implementation of the 12-hour load-shedding schedule, to the consternation of the federal authorities.

Apparently referring to these unusual measures, Sanaullah said all matters could be resolved amicably through talks and mutual consultations. He said every citizen has the right to protest according to the Constitution and law. However, he stated, no one will be allowed to pursue their political agendas on the pretext of protest.

“Challenging the writ of the state is tantamount to surrendering the country to anarchy and chaos. Legal action would be taken against those who are attempting to stand against the state,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Kundi—who belongs to the PPP—said the federal government wants to support the provincial government for the welfare of the people but the current provincial government is challenging the writ of the state to achieve “nefarious goals”.