The National Assembly approves President Asif Ali Zardari’s emergency proclamation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, as opposition leaders demand its reversal and ministers defend the move on security grounds.

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Wednesday endorsed President Asif Ali Zardari’s proclamation of emergency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) through a majority vote, despite strong opposition from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers and criticism from other opposition leaders.

The resolution followed the federal government’s imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province on October 11, suspending the PTI-led provincial administration amid disagreements over the deteriorating security situation and counter-terrorism policies.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told the House that Article 232 of the Constitution required a presidential proclamation of emergency to be presented before both houses of Parliament for approval within 10 days.

He said the federal cabinet had deliberated for two and a half hours before recommending the measures, citing internal disturbances, cross-border incursions and the provincial government’s alleged failure to coordinate effectively with federal authorities.

Tarar maintained that the KP government’s approach to combating terrorism had increasingly become a threat to national security. He accused Chief Minister Sohail Afridi of prioritising political activities over security and criticised the provincial administration for failing to provide adequate support to victims of terrorist attacks and their families.

The law minister said terrorist incidents had increased significantly since 2021, emphasising that effective counter-terrorism operations required cooperation between federal and provincial authorities. He also acknowledged the sacrifices of security personnel and civilians in the fight against terrorism.

Tarar said the government had pursued dialogue rather than force to resolve the dispute. He credited National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah and other political leaders with facilitating negotiations between the government and opposition.

He added that representatives of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and PTI had participated in discussions for two days, but maintained that legal challenges to the emergency should be pursued through the courts.

Achakzai demands reversal of emergency

Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai strongly condemned the government, describing it as illegitimate and accusing it of undermining the electoral mandate through coercion and political manipulation.

Defending Afridi’s opposition to the emergency, Achakzai alleged that PTI had been prevented from contesting elections under its party symbol. He questioned whether the government was punishing Pakistan’s 240 million people for the party’s electoral success.

He warned that disputes over provincial rights could spread to Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh, particularly over resources, water and minerals.

Recounting the history of East Pakistan, Achakzai cautioned against denying political representation and urged lawmakers to restore Parliament’s position as the centre of political authority.

He called on the government to reverse the emergency and governor’s rule, arguing that political disputes should be resolved through democratic institutions rather than confrontation.

Bilawal offers to seek end to emergency

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari renewed his call for political dialogue, offering to personally request Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to end the emergency if PTI helped create conditions that made the measure unnecessary.

Bilawal said the federal government had attempted to engage the opposition before taking the constitutional step. While acknowledging PTI’s right to oppose the decision, he argued that the party’s political and administrative choices had contributed to the circumstances leading to the suspension of its provincial government.

He accused the provincial leadership of committing a political suicide attack on its own government and urged the party to pursue negotiations to resolve the crisis.

Defence minister cites mounting terrorism casualties

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told the House that 3,900 people had been martyred in KP over 14 months, in addition to 2,700 over three years.

He called for national unity against terrorism, arguing that the province could not effectively confront the threat without political cohesion and improved governance.

Asif accused the provincial leadership of prioritising political interests over counter-terrorism efforts. He also questioned its political alignments in light of Taliban statements opposing the emergency and security deployments.

The defence minister criticised PTI over its past relationship with the military establishment, recalling its interactions with former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and former Inter-Services Intelligence chief General Faiz Hameed.

He urged opposition leaders to examine their political history and avoid double standards in dealing with state institutions.

Asif also recounted his experiences in prison under former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, arguing that political differences should not prevent cooperation on national security.

The parliamentary debate exposed deep divisions over the constitutional basis of the emergency, the provincial government’s counter-terrorism record and the balance between provincial autonomy and national security.

While the government defended the measures as necessary to address the security situation, opposition leaders demanded the restoration of the elected provincial administration and warned that the decision could deepen tensions between the federal government and the provinces.