ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said on Monday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) could challenge the imposition of an emergency and Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in court if it had objections to the decision.
Speaking to the media, Chaudhry said parliament would examine the constitutional validity of the emergency. He defended the measures, citing what he described as PTI’s lack of cooperation with the federal government on counterterrorism efforts.
The minister urged the opposition to challenge the decision in court and invite the government to an all-parties conference (APC), where relevant data could be presented. He said the government had repeatedly offered dialogue and remained open to negotiations on political issues.
Chaudhry clarified that the government had not asked PTI to postpone its long march but had sought its cooperation in combating terrorism. He added that special security arrangements had been made in 12 districts of KP to support efforts to restore peace and stability.
According to the minister, the emergency would remain in place until its stated objectives were achieved. He said the decision had not been taken abruptly and that affected areas would be cleared before being handed over to the civil administration.
Chaudhry also claimed that residents had welcomed the decision and that no protests had been held in the province against the emergency or Governor’s Rule. He further criticised PTI’s performance in KP, attributing public dissatisfaction to what he described as a lack of development over the past 13 years.