Report :Ahmed Shamsur Rehman / ANI
ISLAMABAD — A joint sitting of Parliament, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, on Thursday approved the proclamations of emergency and Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by a majority vote, amid strong protests from opposition members.
The motion received 214 votes in favour and 56 against. The opposition, including SIC/PTI members, staged a protest, chanted slogans and tore copies of the agenda while opposing the measures.
During the debate, Law and Justice Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar defended the emergency and Governor’s Rule, saying the decisions had been taken within the constitutional framework as a last resort in view of the deteriorating law-and-order situation in the province. He said the measures did not amount to martial law and that the federal government had repeatedly attempted to engage the provincial government on security matters.
Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai strongly criticised the government, opposing Governor’s Rule and calling for negotiations and respect for Parliament. He also raised concerns over alleged human rights violations, the treatment of political prisoners and the use of force against protesters.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman called for a joint strategy between federal and provincial governments to address political and security challenges. She also criticised past decisions concerning the return of militants and claimed that terrorism in KP had increased significantly.
Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas criticised the government over what he described as the undermining of the public mandate and restrictions on elected representatives. He called for the release of detained political leaders and lawmakers, and urged the government to pursue negotiations to prevent further instability in KP and Balochistan.
Barrister Gohar Ali Khan rejected allegations that PTI or the KP government supported terrorism, insisting that counterterrorism efforts should not be politicised. He opposed the application of Articles 232, 234 and 245 in the province and called on the government to substantiate its allegations against the provincial leadership.
Senator Syed Ali Zafar also opposed the emergency proclamation, arguing that the measures violated constitutional principles. He maintained that the fight against terrorism could not be won by undermining the Constitution and rejected the motion.
ANP leader Aimal Wali Khan recalled his party’s sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and called for implementation of the National Action Plan. He opposed Governor’s Rule, arguing that political and security challenges required effective action against militants and their alleged facilitators.
JUI Senator Kamran Murtaza questioned the constitutional grounds for imposing emergency and Governor’s Rule, asking for the presidential proclamation’s record and the governor’s report. He also questioned why KP had been singled out when Balochistan faced serious security challenges.
PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said exceptional circumstances could compel governments to take difficult decisions but cautioned against restricting PTI’s political space. He called for renewed negotiations and a change in political attitudes to help restore normal governance.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry described the emergency as a last resort rather than a political victory or defeat. He alleged that the KP government had failed to cooperate with the federal government on counterterrorism efforts and said the emergency would remain until terrorism was eliminated from the province.
Interior Minister Senator Mohsin Naqvi said the federal government had repeatedly sought cooperation from the KP government on security measures. He referred to consultations through the Apex Committee and stressed that the federal government would fulfil its responsibility to combat terrorism. He also urged political leaders to avoid statements that could undermine dialogue.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar referred to the resurgence of terrorism following the Army Public School attack and the subsequent National Action Plan and military operations. He criticised the return of militants during previous PTI-led provincial governments and said the federal government had pursued consultations and democratic processes to address the security situation.
Other lawmakers, including Ameer Muqam, Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan, Senator Kamran Murtaza, Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Shazia Marri and Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Yousaf, presented their respective positions on the emergency, provincial governance, terrorism and the need for political engagement.
Following the debate, the joint sitting approved the proclamations of emergency under Article 232(7) and Governor’s Rule under Article 234(3) of the Constitution by a majority vote. The motion to suspend the rules to move the resolutions received 214 votes in favour and 56 against.
The opposition staged a strong protest during the passage of the resolution, chanting slogans and tearing copies of the agenda. The joint sitting was prorogued at 5:30 pm.
