Centre cites security after KP intervention
Sharif family politics took a sharper turn on Saturday as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif defended the federal decision to impose emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, arguing the step was driven by security fears after dialogue with the opposition failed.
The Centre imposed the measures on Oct 11, saying the provincial government had shown “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism. Parliament endorsed the move this week amid opposition protests. The step followed weeks of tension between the federation and PTI, including talks after the party announced a long march toward Islamabad seeking the release of its jailed founder, Imran Khan.
Why Shehbaz says the Centre was compelled
Speaking in Gujranwala after offering condolences at the residence of Rashid Bashir Virk over the death of former MNA Mahmood Bashir Virk, the prime minister said the federal government had made a “last attempt” to avoid emergency rule. He pointed to rounds of talks by a joint government–PPP delegation with the opposition. The second round, on Oct 3, lasted several hours but ended without a breakthrough.
“They had talks with them (PTI) day and night, for 48 hours, and sat with the intention to settle matters from every aspect,” Shehbaz said, adding that a draft agreement had been prepared under which PTI was to call off its protest march.
He said he had held multiple meetings with Sohail Afridi as well as with Ali Amin Gandapur. He said he had assured support for jointly fighting terrorism and addressing security challenges, and that decisions on administration, resources and requirements would be taken in consultation with the provincial government. Despite those efforts, he said, thousands of law enforcement personnel, soldiers and armed forces officers were sacrificing their lives, while the Centre faced “threats and long marches every other day.”
Nawaz backs the move from London
In comments that also shape Sharif family politics this week, Nawaz Sharif fully backed the emergency and governor’s rule while speaking to journalists at his London residence. He said the situation in KP had grown increasingly alarming under the PTI government and that federal authorities should have intervened before matters worsened further.
“This intervention was necessary to restore peace, improve governance and protect the interests of the people,” he said. He accused PTI of using provincial government resources for political confrontation with the federation, asking which country allows a chief minister to use official resources to attack the federal capital. He also alleged that successive PTI governments over 13 years had damaged the province and neglected ordinary citizens, while describing the people of KP as patriotic Pakistanis who deserve better governance.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Oct 3: A second round of Centre–opposition talks lasts several hours but ends without a breakthrough; a draft deal under which PTI would call off its protest march does not settle the dispute.
- Weeks before Oct 11: Political tensions rise between the Centre and PTI after the party announces a long march toward Islamabad demanding Imran Khan’s release.
- Oct 11: The Centre imposes emergency and governor’s rule in KP, citing the provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism.
- This week: Parliament endorses the measures amid opposition protests.
- Saturday: Shehbaz Sharif in Gujranwala and Nawaz Sharif in London publicly defend the intervention on security and governance grounds.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Federal hukumat ne 11 October ko Khyber Pakhtunkhwa mein emergency aur governor’s rule laga diya. Shehbaz aur Nawaz Sharif kehte hain ke security aur baat-cheet fail hone ki wajah se yeh qadam zaroori tha. Unke mutabiq pehle negotiations ki gayin, lekin agreement nahi bana. Aam logon ke liye is ka matlab yeh hai ke province ki hukumrani ab Centre ke control mein hai jab tak yeh suratehal badalti nahi.
