KP governor convenes advisory council meeting after imposition of governor’s rule

PESHAWAR: An advisory council meeting has been convened at the Governor’s House in Peshawar at 4pm on Sunday to discuss the situation following the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to sources at the Governor House, members of the advisory council have started arriving, with seven to eight members expected to be included in the council in the first phase.

The meeting will discuss the situation following the imposition of governor’s rule and the future course of action, the sources said.

Governor Faisal Karim Kundi will brief the media on key decisions after the meeting, they added.

Earlier, aisal Karim Kundi said that “the people of the province welcome the presidential move to impose an emergency and seek peace, stability, development and prosperity.”

In a video message addressed to the KP people following the imposition of the emergency and governor’s rule, Kundi said that citizens had decided they would no longer support what he called “Fitna al-Khawarij” and would stand alongside security forces in the fight against terrorism until the end.

The federal government on Sunday formally imposed an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after President Asif Ali Zardari approved a summary forwarded by the federal cabinet, citing a deteriorating security situation and the provincial government’s alleged failure to tackle terrorism.

President Asif Ali Zardari approved the emergency measure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Articles 232(1) and 234(1) of the Constitution.

Under the proclamation, the KP governor assumed provincial government functions as directed by the federal government, effectively placing the province under what is commonly known as governor’s rule.

Under this arrangement, the governor may assume all or some functions of the provincial government as directed by the federal government, while the powers of the provincial assembly may be exercised by Parliament or under its authority, as provided in the proclamation.