Federal Government Likely to Approve Emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sources Say

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has reportedly decided to impose an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the federal cabinet expected to consider and approve the move at a meeting scheduled for 9:30am the following day, according to sources.

Sources said sessions of both houses of Parliament had also been convened to consider the proposed emergency. However, an official announcement confirming the decision had not been made at the time of reporting.

The development follows a meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Aiwan-e-Sadr, where the country’s overall political and security situation came under discussion.

According to an official statement issued by the Presidency, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Senator Rana Sanaullah, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, Law and Justice Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar and Federal Minister Senator Ahad Cheema assisted the prime minister during the meeting.

Senator Sherry Rehman, Syed Naveed Qamar, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla and Dr Asim Hussain assisted the president.

The meeting also agreed to convene separate sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate on Tuesday, October 13.

Earlier, sources said the meeting at the Presidency reviewed a report submitted by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi regarding the province’s law and order and security situation.

The federal cabinet is expected to discuss the proposed measure and consider the available options before a final decision is formally announced.