Politics
A joint sitting of Pakistan’s Parliament, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, was convened to consider the imposition of an emergency and Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
A joint sitting of Pakistan’s Parliament, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, was convened to consider the imposition of an emergency and Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani and a large number of government and opposition members attended the session. Documents relating to the imposition of an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were presented under Article 232(7) of the Constitution, while documents concerning Governor’s Rule were submitted under Article 234(3). Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry presented the presidential proclamations concerning both measures.
At the beginning of the session, the National Assembly Speaker expressed grief over the tragic collapse of a school roof in Peshawar, which claimed the lives of children and teachers. Prayers were offered for the deceased children. A resolution seeking parliamentary endorsement of the emergency and Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was subsequently presented by Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. Opposition members protested during the session, wearing black armbands and challenging the vote count. The Speaker ordered a count of members supporting and opposing the resolution. A total of 214 members voted in favour, while 56 opposed it, endorsing the resolution concerning the imposition of an emergency and Governor’s Rule in the province.
During the debate, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the session had been convened to fulfil constitutional requirements, adding that the matter had already been discussed in both the Senate and the National Assembly. He said the government would respond to any questions raised by the opposition. Addressing criticism linking the decision to October 12, he said meetings of the Apex Committee had been held in Islamabad and Peshawar. He also referred to incidents reported in Lakki Marwat, Tank and Bajaur within a single day, arguing that the provincial chief minister should have been visiting hospitals rather than leading a long march.
National Assembly opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai told the joint sitting that Pakistan’s current crisis stemmed from its internal shortcomings. He said the Constitution had been drafted with great difficulty following the country's breakup and argued that national arrogance had contributed to that tragedy. Criticising the imposition of Governor’s Rule, Achakzai said the government and institutions were also bound by constitutional rules and limitations. He alleged that eight members had been taken away by personnel wearing uniforms while parliamentarians were present in the assembly.
He said negotiations should focus on ensuring that Parliament remained the ultimate source of political authority and that provinces retained their rights over their resources. He reiterated that his side was prepared for unconditional talks. Achakzai also alleged that several people had been shot and accused the authorities of abducting the provincial chief minister and members of the provincial assembly. He questioned the allegations of terrorism against the provincial leadership, arguing that the roots of militancy predated Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s political career. He further criticised past policies concerning Afghanistan and the Taliban, arguing that successive state policies had contributed to the rise of militancy.
Senator Sherry Rehman responded by urging Achakzai not to speak about martial law without considering the experiences of those who had lived through it. She alleged that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters had been released during the PTI government. Rehman said PTI representatives Asad Qaiser and Barrister Gohar had expressed support for cooperation against terrorism, adding that three of the five demands raised during discussions had been accepted. However, she argued that the party’s leadership had undermined the negotiations by calling for a long march. She said long marches had taken place in the past without bringing down governments and claimed that negotiations had also addressed medical treatment and legal access. Rehman maintained that a province could not pursue its own foreign policy.
Opposition leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas described the Constitution as a social contract between the federation and its constituent units. He said depriving elected representatives of power constituted a serious constitutional violation. He argued that the February 8 elections were at the root of the country’s political crisis. Abbas also questioned why an external investigation had been conducted into Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, asking whether the authorities lacked confidence in their own institutions. He further criticized restrictions on meetings with PTI founder Imran Khan and questioned whether organizing a long march was contrary to the Constitution and the law. He urged the authorities not to turn Pakistan into a graveyard through political confrontation.
Federal Minister Amir Muqam said the 2014 Army Public School (APS) attack had united the nation and led to agreement on the National Action Plan. He alleged that agreements made during the PTI government, including arrangements involving Afghanistan, had subsequently been followed by renewed insecurity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said the security situation had become so serious that people were unable to attend funerals. Muqam also claimed that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had rejected the provincial leadership, while expressing appreciation for PTI members who, in his view, had acted responsibly.
During the session, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approached opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai at his seat in the assembly and spoke with him privately for several minutes. After the prime minister left the chamber, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also met Achakzai. Meanwhile, Awami National Party (ANP) chief Aimal Wali Khan met Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. The two leaders spoke briefly, and Aimal Wali Khan added Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s phone number to his mobile phone.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar rejected allegations that his party supported terrorism, calling the accusations unacceptable and warning that they could have consequences internationally. He said the Pakistan Army belonged to the nation and those PTI members’ lives and futures were tied to Pakistan. He accused the government of putting the federation at risk and reiterated that his party condemned terrorism in all its forms. Gohar argued that the entire provincial government had effectively been dismantled over concerns about a meeting. He challenged the government to impose the death penalty if it could prove that PTI supported terrorism, while insisting that the allegations should be withdrawn as soon as possible. He also rejected the imposition of an emergency, Governor’s Rule and the deployment of the army, saying his party wanted a Pakistan where everyone could receive medical treatment and enjoy their rights.
ANP chief Aimal Wali Khan said terrorism, PTI, Governor’s Rule and the emergency were separate issues that should not be conflated. He questioned the state’s past dealings with militant groups, referring to reports that a militant leader had declared a political party acceptable before that party came to power. He also questioned PTI’s past approach to the Taliban and the proposal to bring them into the political mainstream. Wali Khan alleged that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s government had been used for political battles against the federal government in Punjab and raised questions about the resettlement of Taliban fighters. He demanded accountability for those responsible for security policies, arguing that if a provincial government was being removed because of terrorism, the federal government should also be held accountable.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Senator Kamran Murtaza said his party had requested documentary evidence supporting allegations of terrorism but had not received it. He said his party had submitted a resolution opposing the emergency and Governor’s Rule, but it had not been presented. He also questioned whether President Asif Ali Zardari had properly considered the constitutional requirements before issuing the relevant proclamations. Referring to Article 234, Murtaza said the Constitution required the president to be satisfied on the basis of a governor’s report before imposing Governor’s Rule. He questioned the existence and contents of the report used to justify the decision. He warned that political measures taken against one group could eventually be used against others and questioned whether the government had consistently maintained its authority in other troubled areas. Murtaza also argued that the solution to Pakistan’s problems lay in ensuring an independent Election Commission.
Former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said the debate had highlighted the importance of political conduct and dialogue. He noted that negotiations had initially appeared promising but had failed to produce results. Ashraf urged politicians to continue talking and said political popularity should also benefit the country. He recalled that previous long marches had taken place without damaging property and called on all parties to protect Pakistan and its people. He said Governor’s Rule could potentially be reversed if political attitudes changed. However, he questioned whether his party could support a political movement that used public resources to bring a province to a standstill. Ashraf called for an end to hatred and urged the government and opposition to sit together to resolve their differences.
PTI Senator Ali Zafar challenged the constitutional basis for Governor’s Rule, saying Article 234 required the president to receive a report from the provincial governor and be satisfied with its contents before taking action. He asked the government to disclose the report on which the provincial government had been dismissed. He also argued that preventing terrorism was a federal responsibility under Article 148 and questioned why Governor’s Rule had not been imposed in Balochistan, where he claimed the provincial government had also failed to maintain law and order. During his speech, PML-N Senator Abid Sher Ali interrupted him. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif subsequently intervened to quieten the exchange. Ali Zafar reiterated his challenge to the government to produce the report used to justify the dismissal of the provincial government.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Shazia Marri said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had described Governor’s Rule as an undesirable measure and a last resort. She argued that the negotiation process had been weakened and criticised what she described as preferential treatment for certain political groups, saying her party had never enjoyed the same status.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the federal government had made extensive efforts to bring the provincial government on board so that both sides could jointly combat terrorism. He said preparing the Apex Committee’s statement had been difficult and urged members to review the wording of the official press release. According to Naqvi, PTI representatives had discussed the matter during negotiations, but the provincial government had not adopted the position being advocated by some of its party members. Naqvi said he had personally met the chief minister and that a joint plan had been prepared for five districts, under which the police would conduct operations with federal support. He questioned why the provincial leadership had been unwilling to take the lead.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar urged members not to misrepresent the facts, saying the matter had been approved by both houses of Parliament. He said an all-parties conference had been held in Islamabad with PTI participation and recalled that the National Action Plan had been revised during the PTI government. Dar questioned the earlier decision to allow TTP members to return to Pakistan and warned that the threat of militancy needed to be addressed decisively.
