Govt tables resolution in NA seeking endorsement of K-P emergency

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government on Wednesday tabled a resolution in the National Assembly (NA) seeking parliamentary approval of President Asif Ali Zardari’s proclamation of emergency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) under Article 232 of the Constitution.

The developments emerged after the federal government imposed emergency and governor’s rule in K-P on October 11, suspending the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial administration amid a dispute over the province’s security situation and counter-terrorism measures. The government has defended the move, citing a deterioration in law and order and an alleged failure by the provincial administration to coordinate counter-terrorism efforts with federal authorities.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry presented the resolution today before the House.

During the proceedings, Chaudhry moved a separate motion seeking the suspension of Question Hour to allow the House to take up other parliamentary business.

Opposition lawmakers opposed the motion, but it was adopted by a majority vote.

Speaking during the session, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the Constitution required a presidential proclamation of emergency under Article 232 to be laid before both houses of parliament — the National Assembly and the Senate — for approval within 10 days of its issuance.

Responding to criticism that the imposition of emergency had resulted in the removal of an elected provincial government, Tarar said the decision had been taken after extensive deliberations and a thorough assessment of the security situation in K-P.

He said the federal cabinet had held a two-and-a-half-hour discussion before recommending the emergency measures to the prime minister, citing internal disturbances and cross-border incursions as major factors behind the decision.

Tarar maintained that the provincial government’s approach towards combating terrorism, particularly since the current cabinet assumed office on October 15, 2025, had become an increasingly serious threat to national security.

“The attitude that the K-P provincial government has maintained regarding the war against terror, particularly over the past one year, since the present cabinet took control there, from Oct 15, 2025, to an alarming degree, was becoming a threat to national security,” he said.

The law minister emphasised that effective counter-terrorism operations required close coordination between the federal and provincial governments, stressing that a unified response was essential to ensuring Pakistan’s security.

He said the sharp increase in terrorist activities since 2021 had been driven by several factors, including external, diplomatic and political developments, accusing PTI of pursuing policies that had aggravated the security situation.

Tarar acknowledged the sacrifices made by the armed forces, police personnel and civilians in confronting terrorism, saying their efforts had helped the country make progress despite persistent security challenges.

He maintained that political differences should not undermine counter-terrorism efforts, reiterating the importance of cooperation between federal and provincial authorities in addressing threats to national security.

 

This is a developing story,…