Staff Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Sunday approved the imposition of both emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with a summary sent to the president for approval.
Sources said the cabinet meeting, chaired by the prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, reviewed the province’s law and order situation and the growing threat of terrorism.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Rana Sanaullah, Salik Hussain and Attaullah Tarar were among those attending.
The cabinet was briefed on the security situation and the participants expressed concern over what they described as the provincial government’s deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism.
According to sources, the cabinet recommended that the prime minister advise the president to exercise constitutional powers under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution to impose emergency measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The prime minister’s office subsequently sent the advice to the President’s House.
Before proceeding with the proposed measures, the federal government reportedly made a final attempt to negotiate with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government through Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. However, the effort failed.
During the cabinet meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar also contacted Maulana Rehman to discuss the situation and explore the possibility of a negotiated solution.
Cabinet members expressed serious concern over the province’s security challenges, arguing that the provincial government’s alleged lack of engagement in counterterrorism efforts was a matter of concern.
Earlier, there were reports that a state of emergency was likely in 12 districts of the province. The districts under consideration for emergency measures are: Kurram, Upper South Waziristan, Lower South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan.
Meanwhile, security was tightened outside the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad. Additional police personnel were deployed along Constitution Avenue, and armoured vehicles were brought in as part of the security arrangements.
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