Opposition leaders condemn KP governor’s rule, question legality of move

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Thursday condemned the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, accusing the federal government of undermining democracy and disregarding the public mandate.

Talking to the media outside Parliament House after a joint sitting of Parliament approved resolutions endorsing the emergency and governor’s rule in KP, the opposition leaders questioned the constitutional basis of the move, warned it would deepen political divisions and alleged that the government had undermined efforts to reach a negotiated settlement with the PTI.

Achakzai recalled the political struggle for democracy and parliamentary supremacy, saying successive political leaders had worked to strengthen democratic institutions.

Allama Nasir Abbas described the emergency and governor’s rule as measures tantamount to martial law, while Gohar said 56 opposition lawmakers had opposed the resolutions in Parliament.

Achakzai recalls political struggle for democracy

Achakzai, who said he first became a member of Parliament in 1990, recalled the efforts made by political leaders, including former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, to strengthen democracy in the country.

He said political leaders had worked to make Parliament a genuine representative institution and cited the repeal of Article 58(2)(b), which had been used to dissolve elected assemblies, as an example of what political consensus could achieve.

He also referred to the Charter of Democracy signed by political leaders in London, saying the agreement reflected a collective effort to protect democratic institutions.

Achakzai questioned the conduct of the February 2024 general elections, saying the circumstances surrounding the polls were widely known. He alleged that his electoral mandate had been denied and claimed that he had been deprived of four seats.

Recounting his own experience during the elections, he said he had contested National Assembly seats in Pishin and Chaman, as well as four provincial assembly constituencies.

He said he had withdrawn from one seat in Pishin in favour of a candidate backed by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), who, according to Achakzai, received around 30,000 votes from his supporters.

He also recounted an encounter with the person he described as being in charge of the election process, alleging that the individual had visited his house with a team at around 2:30am.

Achakzai said a carpet had been brought as a gift, while he presented a pen in return.

The opposition leader said he had no personal dispute with the armed forces or any other institution, stressing that his position was centred on strengthening Parliament.

“I have neither opposition to nor a fight with the army or anyone else,” he said, according to his remarks in Urdu.

Nasir Abbas calls emergency attack on KP’s people

Allama Nasir Abbas said the country’s political system had been built on a flawed foundation, arguing that constitutional amendments and subsequent political decisions had further weakened it.

Referring to the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments, he said both were flawed and argued that a building could not be sound if its foundation was laid incorrectly.

He described the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in KP as equivalent to martial law, saying the measures would fuel resentment rather than resolve the province’s problems.

Nasir Abbas also criticised President Asif Ali Zardari and the federal government over the suspension of the PTI-led provincial administration, arguing that the action had deprived the people of their elected government.

“What happened in Parliament today is an attack on the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said, warning that the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule would increase hostility.

He said the government had chosen the wrong course by refusing to recognise the public mandate, adding that the decision could open a Pandora’s box and bring further political controversies to the fore.

Gohar says 56 opposition lawmakers opposed resolutions

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said 56 opposition lawmakers had strongly opposed the resolutions concerning emergency and governor’s rule during the joint sitting of Parliament.

He condemned what he described as the unconstitutional and illegal removal of an elected provincial government, arguing that the decision would have consequences beyond KP and the PTI.

“This is not just a matter concerning the province or the PTI; it concerns the federation,” he said, adding that time would show the decision to have been wrong.

Gohar also questioned whether the circumstances cited by the government justified the imposition of emergency under the Constitution. He asked whether the measures were constitutional or an exercise of power outside the constitutional framework.

He alleged that the government had changed the provincial administration and taken action against the chief minister, speaker and members of the provincial assembly, questioning the legal basis for these steps.

The PTI chairman also criticised what he described as attempts to derail negotiations between the government and the opposition. He alleged that certain government figures did not want the talks to succeed and were instead seeking to remove the provincial government.

PTI says negotiations were undermined

Gohar said the opposition had sought to include provisions in its proposed agreement with the government to ensure that Imran Khan’s personal doctors could meet the jailed former prime minister.

He said the opposition had also wanted Achakzai, other political associates and lawyers to be allowed to meet Khan.

Gohar alleged that a group within the government was unwilling to let the negotiations succeed and urged the prime minister to make the final decision on the matter.

He also referred to criticism directed at the political leadership over properties abroad, saying he and his party had not built properties in Avenfield or Dubai and had to continue living in Pakistan.

The opposition leaders’ remarks came amid heightened tensions following the federal government’s decision to impose emergency and governor’s rule in KP.

The government has defended the measures on security grounds, accusing the suspended provincial administration of failing to cooperate adequately in counterterrorism efforts. The PTI has rejected the allegations and challenged the measures.