PM Shehbaz to consult president, ministers over K-P political, security situation

Centre considering different constitutional and legal options, including imposition of governor's rule and emergency

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to consult President Asif Ali Zardari and senior ministers on Thursday over the political and security situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), with constitutional options including governor’s rule and emergency measures remaining under discussion amid heightened tensions between the Centre and the provincial government.

Sources said today’s consultations would focus on developments in K-P and the constitutional and legal options available to the federal government.

According to the sources, PM Shehbaz had summoned Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Kashmir Affairs Minister Amir Muqam to the Prime Minister’s House, where they would discuss the province’s political and security affairs in detail.

A meeting between the prime minister and president is also expected at the President’s House later on Thursday, sources said.

PM Shehbaz is expected to brief the president on the situation in K-P and discuss possible constitutional measures, including governor’s rule and an emergency.

Read: Govt 'seriously' considering imposing emergency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa: Tariq Fazal

The developments emerged amid continued tensions following PTI's announcement of an Islamabad march. Although the protest was postponed from September 27 to October 4, the standoff between the federal and provincial governments remains unresolved.

Reports have also emerged about the possible disqualification of the chief minister, his replacement, an in-house change, dissolution of the assembly, and a no-confidence motion against him under Article 136 of the Constitution.

The no-confidence motion can be submitted to the assembly secretariat with signatures of 20% of the total membership, following which an assembly session is to be convened within three to seven days on a single-point agenda.

The assembly rules lay down the procedure for a no-confidence motion. After the motion is moved in the house, voting is held through a secret ballot, with members expressing their choice in two separate lobbies. If the motion succeeds, the Speaker will issue a schedule for the election of a new chief minister.

Also Read: Centre lays ground for governor's rule in K-P

The Constitution also provides for the governor to require the chief minister to seek a vote of confidence under Article 130(7). If the governor believes the chief minister has lost the confidence of the majority in the house, the chief minister is required to demonstrate his numerical strength in the assembly.

The political confrontation between the PTI-led K-P government and the federal government has unfolded against one of the province’s deadliest recent spells of violence. At least 21 people, including 15 police personnel, were killed in the September 18 Kohat Police Lines attack, which was followed days later by an IED attack on a security convoy in K-P that killed six soldiers.

On September 25, a CTD operation in Peshawar foiled an attempted attack by three suicide bombers, although a police constable was killed. The following day, 12 people were killed and 35 injured in a blast at a joint checkpoint in Dera Ismail Khan, with the TTP claiming responsibility.