Governor's rule in K-P: PPP resists 'pressure'

Party walks tightrope as government eyes governor's rule in province ruled by PTI, claim insiders

LAHORE:

The PPP is facing mounting pressure from powerful quarters to support the imposition of governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) but, despite repeated overtures, the party remains reluctant to endorse an extreme and destabilising step, two senior party sources confirmed on Tuesday.

A party official, while speaking to The Express Tribune, said that "some powers wanted governor rules in K-P, to end the PTI reign in province. For which they want to use PPP's shoulder".

He added that the proposal "to impose governor rules" had been floated repeatedly, yet the party had not endorsed it.

According to him, the PPP's "public position shift, in view of the change in the circumstance," did not alter its "principle position opposition to rule extreme measures".

He warned that such a move would be politically explosive for the region. "It wouldn't be possible to rule the province, with governor rules without further pushing it into anarchy. The political dynamics are very different in K-P."

Another PPP insider cautioned that any attempt to use the party as a conduit for governor's rule could backfire disastrously. He maintained that "imposing governor rules, by any party would be a mega blunder".

Acknowledging the risks of defiance, he said that "resisting such suggestions from powers that be, have their consequences, but sometimes one needs to draw a line".

The source also expressed fears about the dangerous precedent such a decision could set. "There's a flipside to this move as well assuming PPP complies with the instruction of governor's rule, open the canon of worms, then who would stop PML-N government form doing the same in Sindh, when such a need arises."

"An urgent scenario and need can be manufactured at any time in Pakistan," he observed.

However, while reiterating the PPP's principled stance, he conceded that the party did not wish to fall out of favour with establishment, and therefore "it will have to walk this tight rope".

The discussion gained momentum a day earlier after two federal ministers hinted at the possibility of invoking governor's rule in K-P, citing deteriorating security conditions and governance failures.

Addressing the National Assembly, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar said that governor rules was no martial law, adding that it was a constitutional measure, while the information minister said that talk of such action only arise when matters continue to spiral out of control.

Historically, Centra has brandished the threat of governor's rule to pressure K-P's government whenever tensions escalate. Though the province has twice experienced governor's rule, first when assemblies were dissolved and later when governments were ousted, party calculations appear markedly different this time.

Other political actors have also distanced themselves from the idea. JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, when asked about it, remarked that "those who are to impose governor rule should answer this".

Likewise, ANP leader Aimal Wali Khan also "opposed imposition of governor's rule, despite his vocal opposition to PTI".