Khawaja Asif Clarifies: No Plans for Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
His remarks came days after the recent federal cabinet meeting discussed the option of governor’s rule in KP.
Khawaja Asif, Pakistan’s Defence Minister, on Saturday clarified that there are no plans to impose the governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
This statement comes amid rising tensions between the provincial government, led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the federal government.
Defence Asif accused the KP government of using official weapons and equipment to “attack” the federal government, highlighting concerns over the misuse of state resources in political protests.
Addressing a press conference today, the defence minister, while referring to Islamabad unrest, said that PTI tried to sink the country’s economy.
“PTI launched a third onslaught on the Centre which was thwarted.”
Rubbishing the PTI’s claim about causalities at the hands of law enforcers, the minister said: “Security personnel were martyred during the PTI’s protest but found no evidence of any citizen’s death.”
In the backdrop of these developments, the federal government has directed KP’s bureaucracy to refrain from using state machinery for political purposes, particularly in relation to PTI’s planned protests in Islamabad. This directive follows accusations that the KP administration was mobilizing public resources for political demonstrations, which has led to heightened scrutiny and legal challenges against PTI’s actions.
The situation is further complicated by ongoing security issues in KP, where recent violent incidents have raised alarms about law and order. The federal government has expressed its commitment to support KP in addressing these security challenges while maintaining a firm stance against any political misuse of state resources.
