ISLAMABAD: The Federal government of Pakistan has imposed an emergency and Governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province following President Asif Zardari’s approval of the recommendations by the cabinet. The measures have been approved under Articles 232 and 234 of the Pakistan Constitution, the President House said in a statement.
The two provisions pertain to the proclamation of emergency and governor’s rule. The decision to impose the provisions came during an emergency cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on October 11, Sunday.
A statement issued by the Prime Minister Office (PMO) said Cabinet members reviewed the security situation and took note of the “provincial government’s deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism”. They proposed that the PM advise the President to exercise “his constitutional authority and impose an emergency in the province under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution”, according to a report of Dawn newspaper.
A couple of hours after the decision was announced, Information Minister Shafi Jan, who had been accompanying Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on the PTI’s long march, said that that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM has been taken into custody.
That meeting came amid heightened tensions between the PML-N-led federal government and the KP government led by the PTI — which is in opposition in the Centre. They have been at odds over various issues, particularly on the counter-terrorism policy, which was one of the main reasons behind the breakdown of their October 3 talks.
The PTI has said that it was being left out of security decisions concerning Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It also called for reviewing the counter-terrorism policy and opposed military operations. Earlier in the day of fast changing scenario, PM Shehbaz Sharif convened a meeting of top leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-N and Pakistan’s Peoples Party (PPP). On October 10, Saturday, leaders of these major ruling coalition partners had finalised a plan to bring the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province under Federal control.
PM Sharif had called Sunday’s meeting to discuss the plan of imposing emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Information Minister Ataullah Tarar had hinted at the options of imposing an emergency and governor’s rule in KP late on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed has put the police on alert for dealing with possible violent protests and sabotage. These protests may break out after the dismissal of PTI government in the province.
CM Sohail Afridi was leading a long march, purportedly to Pakistan capital Islamabad, of PTI supporters which was announced first for September 27 but then postponed to October 4 when it started. It has been a week with lakhs of jailed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s supporters turning up. However, the protest march has so far not moved out of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, due to severe restrictions from the Police department.
Using tear gas shells, aerial firing to deter protesters
According to the Police, if necessary, tear-gas shells or grenades should be used from a safe distance to disperse protesters. Rubber-bullet guns and paper-ball guns could also be used against violent protesters from a safe distance.
“In the second phase, if the situation requires, the violent protesters may be stopped with baton charge by using the anti-riot gear. The special unarmed squad will be activated to apprehend the violent protesters and take appropriate legal action,” the Police department statement said.
The notification said in cases of extreme violence and an imminent threat to life and property, aerial firing could be conducted by special armed personnel or squads, but only on the directions of the senior-most officer present at the scene. This reflects the authoriatrain regime under Islamabad.
Keywords: Pakistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Governor’s Rule imposed, PM Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Zardari.
