LAHORE: Federal Minister for Board of Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh has said the federal cabinet initially supported giving the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government another opportunity before moving towards the imposition of emergency in the province.
Speaking in an interview, Sheikh said the proposal came amid concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in KP and the provincial administration’s alleged lack of cooperation with the federal government. He said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi suggested allowing the provincial government another chance, a proposal that Sheikh and several other cabinet members backed.
According to Sheikh, the cabinet meeting was temporarily adjourned to facilitate further consultations, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought to explore the possibility of resolving the matter through political engagement.
Sheikh clarified that Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s mediation efforts and the possibility of replacing the KP chief minister were not discussed during the initial session.
He said the cabinet was subsequently briefed on discussions between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) chief, who had been trying to bridge differences between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration.
However, Maulana Fazl could not secure a breakthrough in his negotiations with the PTI, Sheikh said.
During the second session, the prime minister informed cabinet members that the mediation efforts had failed to achieve the desired results, leaving the government to proceed with the emergency plan, according to Sheikh. The federal cabinet subsequently approved the move, paving the way for the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in KP on October 11, 2026.
Under the arrangement, the provincial government led by PTI Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was suspended, and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi was entrusted with executive authority, assisted by an advisory council.
The decision came amid escalating tensions between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration, with Maulana Fazlur Rehman attempting to broker a political settlement before the federal government opted for emergency measures.
Clarify the emergency timelineTighten repeated mediation detailsUse consistent Maulana Fazl references
