ISLAMABAD – The federal government is preparing to impose emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and federal cabinet could approve the controversial move as early as Sunday amid growing concerns over law and order situation in country’s nothwestern region marred by politcal showdown and terrorism.
Sessions of both houses of Parliament have been convened to take up the proposed measure for PTI-governed province. The reported move comes after President Asif Ali Zardari held a high-level meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Aiwan-e-Sadr to discuss the country’s overall political and security situation.
The meeting has drawn attention to the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with sources saying that participants reviewed a report submitted by provincial Governor Faisal Karim Kundi regarding law and order and security challenges in the province.
According to an official statement issued by the President’s House, the participants also agreed to convene separate sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate on Tuesday, October 13.
The prime minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Senator Rana Sanaullah, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, Law Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar and Federal Minister Senator Ahsan Cheema.
Senator Sherry Rehman, Syed Naveed Qamar, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla and Dr Asim assisted the president during the meeting.
The reported emergency plan could trigger escalation between federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration. However, the supplied report does not establish whether a formal decision has been officially announced or clarify the proposed emergency’s scope and legal mechanism.
