Sharifs defend KP move on security grounds
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif on Saturday defended the Sharifs' KP move, arguing that security fears and a worsening law-and-order picture left the federal government little choice. The premier said Islamabad had been “compelled” to impose emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; his elder brother said the same step should have been taken earlier.
The Centre imposed emergency and governor’s rule in the province on Oct 11, citing what it called the provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism. Parliament endorsed those measures this week even as opposition lawmakers protested.
Talks failed before Oct 11 intervention
Speaking in Gujranwala while offering condolences at the home of Rashid Bashir Virk after the death of former MNA Mahmood Bashir Virk, Shehbaz said the Centre had made a “last attempt” to avoid emergency rule. A joint government-PPP delegation held talks with the opposition; the second round, on Oct 3, ran for several hours and still produced no breakthrough.
He said negotiators sat “day and night, for 48 hours,” intending to settle matters, and that a draft agreement had been prepared under which PTI would call off its protest march. The Oct 11 measures followed weeks of strain between the Centre and PTI after the party announced a long march toward Islamabad seeking the release of its jailed founder, Imran Khan.
Shehbaz said he had met KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, whose role is now non-functional, and former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur. He said he had promised federal support against terrorism and consultation on administration and resources, but that despite those efforts “thousands of our law enforcement personnel, soldiers and officers of the armed forces were sacrificing their lives.” He also said the Centre had faced “threats and long marches every other day.”
Nawaz: intervention necessary, and overdue
In London, Nawaz fully backed the emergency and governor’s rule, telling journalists the situation in KP had grown increasingly alarming under the PTI provincial government and that federal authorities should have stepped in before it 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 further alleged that successive PTI governments over 13 years had damaged the province and neglected ordinary citizens, while describing KP’s people as patriotic Pakistanis who deserve better governance.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Oct 3: A second round of joint government-PPP talks with the opposition lasts several hours but ends without a breakthrough; a draft for PTI to call off its protest march does not stick.
- Weeks before Oct 11: Political tensions rise as PTI presses a long march toward Islamabad demanding Imran Khan’s release.
- Oct 11: The Centre imposes emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, citing deliberate disengagement from the terrorism fight.
- This week: Parliament endorses the measures amid opposition protests.
- Saturday: Shehbaz and Nawaz publicly defend the Sharifs' KP move, framing it around KP security fears and failed dialogue.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Shehbaz aur Nawaz ne kaha ke KP mein emergency aur governor’s rule security ki wajah se lagaya gaya. Un ke mutabiq Centre ne pehle baat cheet ki, lekin Oct 3 ki talks fail ho gain. Nawaz kehte hain yeh qadam pehle hona chahiye tha. Aam logon ke liye sawal yeh hai ke province mein aman, hukumat aur rozmarra zindagi ab kaise stable hogi.
