STATEMENTS emanating from both the treasury and the opposition benches indicate there is a possibility of Governor’s rule in the PTI-led province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) presumably due to lack of coordination between the federal and the provincial government leading to growing friction and tension both at political and administrative levels.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told the National Assembly on Monday that the Governor’s rule is not the face of any martial law but an option provided by the Constitution and this option can be used if the situation so warrants. On the other hand, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi dared the government to implement the plan whereas PTI Chairman Barrister Ali Gohar ruled out the possibility arguing the CM should be given time.
The debate about Governor’s rule started when Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik told a private news channel that Governor’s rule in KP was being “seriously considered”, linking the potential move to “security and governance issues” in the province. According to him, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and his team had “badly failed in having any sort of workable situation”, adding: “Neither do they want to have any kind of coordination or cohesion with the Centre, nor do they take any action in areas where it was needed.” Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhary, in an apparent bid to justify such an eventuality, said the Federal Government had tried to keep the KP Chief Minister on board with every development related to terrorism and other issues, adding that CM Afridi should fulfill his responsibilities as the provincial chief executive and desist from “political point scoring” at every opportunity. Governor of the province Faisal Karim Kundi has dismissed such reports as speculation by media but rumours about the Governor’s rule gained currency when he called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last week to discuss matters concerning the province, including the possibility of Governor’s rule.
The PTI parliamentary party has understandably expressed grave concern over the possibility of the Governor’s rule declaring that the KP Government was elected with a huge mandate of the people and this mandate should be respected. Its participants underlined that any attempt to destabilize the government would be an insult to the votes of the masses and would create unrest and instability in the province. No doubt, it is plausible argument as the mandate of the people in the Centre as well as provinces should be accepted and respected as that is what the elections are held for. The country has suffered hugely when attempts were made in the past to snatch this mandate from political parties on considerations other than merit and legality. However, it is also a fact that imposition of the Governor’s rule in a province is an option available in the Constitution in particular circumstances and it is also the responsibility of the provincial governments not to offer any justification for the purpose. The province is in the midst of the war on terror and success in defeating terrorism depends on seamless coordination and sincere cooperation between the federal and provincial governments. A Peace Jirga was held in KP in which all political parties agreed to address the issues of the province and eradicate terrorism but despite all this the required level of coordination is missing and instead of extending cooperation to ensure elimination of the menace, the PTI prefers to stay away criticizing the policies of the Federal Government and also tries to dictate the country’s Afghan policy, which is an exclusive domain of the Centre. The PTI might have justified grievances and demands but these should be highlighted through peaceful and democratic means and not by confrontational politics.
