KP emergency was inevitable after PTI talks failed: PM

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the federal government was compelled to impose emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because of the provincial government’s lack of cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

Speaking to the media in Gujranwala on Saturday, he said a joint delegation of the federal government and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had held 48 hours of negotiations with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in a bid to resolve the dispute, but the efforts failed.

The prime minister said a draft agreement had also been prepared under which the PTI was to postpone or call off its long march. However, he alleged, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi backed out of the draft at the last moment, leaving the government with no option but to impose emergency.

PM Shehbaz made the remarks during a visit to the residence of Rashid Bashir Virk in Gujranwala to offer condolences on the death of his father, PML-N MNA Mahmood Bashir Virk.

He paid tribute to the deceased lawmaker’s political services before speaking about the political and security situation in KP.

The prime minister said the federal government had repeatedly tried to resolve differences through dialogue.

He added that he had held several meetings with Afridi and his predecessor, Ali Amin Gandapur, assuring them of the Centre’s full support for the province’s development and efforts to combat terrorism.

PM Shehbaz said security personnel were sacrificing their lives to protect the country while threats and calls for a long march continued.

Referring to PTI’s previous protests, he described the party’s record as alarming and recalled its November protest in Islamabad last year, which he said had paralysed the country.

He further alleged that the PTI had planned bloodshed during its latest protest campaign.

President Asif Ali Zardari approved the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 11 on the prime minister’s advice under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution. Both houses of Parliament have since endorsed the measures.