ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) can approach the courts if it disputes the imposition of an emergency and Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Chaudhry said parliament would examine the constitutional basis of the measures. He argued that the federal government had acted after what he described as PTI’s refusal to cooperate on counterterrorism efforts and repeated obstacles to federal initiatives.
The minister urged the opposition to challenge the decision through legal channels and said PTI should also invite the government to an all-parties conference (APC). He said officials could present relevant information there for discussion.
Chaudhry maintained that the government had repeatedly offered talks to the opposition leader and had not shut the door on negotiations over political issues. He said the government had not asked PTI to postpone its long march, but had sought its cooperation on security and counterterrorism.
According to the minister, special security arrangements have been put in place in 12 districts of the province. He said the emergency would remain in effect until the government’s stated aims of restoring peace and stability were met. Areas affected by security operations, he added, would be cleared before being returned to civilian administration.
Chaudhry said the decision was not taken suddenly and claimed there had been no protests in the province against the emergency or Governor’s Rule. He also criticised PTI’s provincial record, attributing public dissatisfaction to what he described as a lack of development over the past 13 years.
The measures have intensified political tensions between the federal government and PTI. President Asif Ali Zardari approved them on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution.
