NewzA federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif began on Sunday at the Prime Minister’s House to review the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), with discussions expected to focus on terrorism, governance and possible administrative and constitutional measures. The cabinet is expected to consider imposing an emergency and governor's rule in K-P at a meeting today, as the federal government weighs constitutional measures amid the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government's ongoing protest march and worsening political and security tensions. Federal ministers continued to arrive at the Prime Minister’s House ahead of the meeting.
Those attending included Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Salik Hussain, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Sources said the cabinet meeting under Prime Minister Shehbaz is expected to consider both options and approve advice to be sent to President Asif Ali Zardari. They said significant administrative changes, including appointing a new chief secretary, could accompany any decision.
The developments follow a meeting between President Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Saturday, during which they reviewed the country's overall political and security situation, with particular attention to K-P, where the PTI launched its long march on October 4. Read: PTI open to talks as long march presses on According to sources, the president and prime minister reached an understanding on the possibility of imposing governor's rule or an emergency in the province. However, the final decision rests with the federal cabinet, and no formal announcement had been made at the time of reporting.
The Presidency's media wing said the meeting discussed the overall political and security situation and that separate sessions of the National Assembly and Senate had been agreed upon for Oct 13. Emergency plan According to sources, K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi had sent the prime minister a written explanation of the grounds for emergency measures about a week earlier, as part of the legal requirements for the proposed intervention. The reported advice argues that the province's law and order situa…
The federal cabinet is expected to consider imposing an emergency and governor's rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) at a crucial meeting on Sunday (today), as the federal government weighs constitutional measures amid the PTI-led provincial government's ongoing protest march and worsening political and security tensions. Sources said the cabinet, which will meet at 9:30am under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is expected to consider both options and approve advice to be sent to President Asif Ali Zardari. According to sources, the president and prime minister reached an understanding on the possibility of imposing governor's rule or an emergency in the province.
The prime minister was assisted by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister Ahad Cheema and Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan. Senator Sherry Rehman, Syed Naveed Qamar, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla and Dr Asim Hussain assisted the president. The reported advice argues that the province's law and order situation has deteriorated to the point where imposing an emergency has become necessary.
Summary from source