Opp calls K-P emergency 'pre-planned'

ISLAMABAD:

Senate Leader of Opposition Allama Raja Nasir Abbas on Tuesday alleged that the federal government had long planned to remove the PTI government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), claiming that negotiations with the opposition had been a "sham" because the decision had already been made.

Speaking in the Senate, Abbas said the opposition had even withdrawn its demand for a meeting with incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan to facilitate an agreement during talks, but the government had refused to budge on its position.

"We had agreed on political issues during the negotiations. The problem arose when security issues were discussed, and you linked political matters with law and order," he said.

The opposition leader asked whether conditions in K-P had deteriorated to the extent that the elected provincial government had to be removed.

He warned that the move could deepen alienation and undermine confidence in democratic processes. He also cautioned that the action could worsen insecurity rather than help restore peace.

Allama Raja Nasir Abbas urged the government to reverse its action, arguing that governor's rule would not establish peace and could harm the country.

PTI Senator Ali Zafar also challenged the legality of the federal action, saying the Constitution did not permit the government to use emergency provisions or Governor's Rule as a political instrument to take control of a province.

He said the opposition supported a collective effort against terrorism but warned against sacrificing constitutional protections in the process. If the government believed provincial officials were involved in terrorism or facilitating militants, it should present evidence before parliament, he added.

Zafar referred to Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, arguing that the provisions could not be invoked at the government's discretion. He called for the decision to be withdrawn and urged the government to return to negotiations.

The opposition subsequently staged a protest in the Senate.

 

Ministers defend action

Responding to the criticism, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi maintained that the measures taken in K-P were in accordance with the Constitution and that the federal government had carefully reviewed the legal implications with the PML-N and the PPP.

He offered to constitute a committee to examine the imposition of governor's rule and determine whether any constitutional violation had occurred.

Naqvi disputed the opposition's account of the negotiations, saying talks had initially focused on terrorism and that PTI leader Asad Qaiser had indicated a willingness to cooperate with the government on security matters.

According to him, Qaiser had also taken responsibility for discussing the issue with the K-P government.

Naqvi said the government had continued contacting PTI leaders until shortly before the decision. He recounted discussions involving Gohar Ali Khan and efforts to secure a recorded message from Imran to defuse a protest, claiming that the process had failed after disagreements within the PTI leadership.

Naqvi further alleged that some PTI figures had direct contacts with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), adding that the government was prepared to provide evidence.

He said around 80% of those involved in terrorism were coming from Afghanistan and insisted that the federal government's sole objective was to eliminate terrorism and bring K-P's youth into that effort.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also defended the decision, saying negotiations had failed at the final stage after the K-P chief minister was consulted and declined to agree to the proposed arrangement.

Dar argued that political reconciliation could not continue indefinitely while the security situation deteriorated. He said K-P had received about Rs800 billion over 13 years to support its fight against terrorism, including funding linked to the National Finance Commission.

He alleged that the province still lacked a forensic lab and questioned the effectiveness of its counterterrorism efforts. He accused the PTI government of failing to contain terrorism, claiming that attacks during the preceding year had exceeded the number recorded over the previous three years.

The deputy prime minister said the federal cabinet had concluded that the time for political reconciliation had passed and that the province's security problems required urgent action.

 

PTI seeks production orders

Separately, PTI Chief Whip Amir Dogar has written to National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, seeking production orders for nine arrested opposition lawmakers to attend the assembly session.

In his letter, Dogar invoked Rule 108 of the National Assembly's Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, arguing that no constituency should be deprived of representation in the elected house because its representative was in custody.

The lawmakers named in the request are Haji Imtiaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Jamal Ahsan Khan, Mian Ghaus Muhammad, Sanaullah Khan Masti Khel, Dawar Khan Kundi, Junaid Akbar, Amjad Ali Khan, Fazal Muhammad Khan and Adil Khan Bazai.