Islamabad (The COW News Digital) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has defended the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the decision was taken under unavoidable circumstances and that delaying action could have caused further damage to the province.
Addressing the parliamentary party of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the prime minister described the province as a beautiful part of Pakistan and praised its people for their courage, dignity and resilience.
Sharif said PML-N had played an important role in promoting democratic traditions in the province. He recalled that after the 2013 general elections, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had allowed the majority party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to form the provincial government, describing the decision as an example of democratic thinking and political tolerance.
Criticising the party that had governed the province for the previous 13 years, Sharif questioned how many universities and hospitals had been established during that period. He said several areas, including Peshawar, Kohistan, Hazara and the southern districts, continued to face problems that had not received adequate attention.
The prime minister also criticised the politics of long marches and sit-ins, saying such activities had affected national development. He recalled that the 2014 sit-in had delayed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pakistan, although important agreements were signed during his visit in 2015.
Explaining the decision to impose governor’s rule and emergency measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sharif said efforts had been made to resolve the situation through negotiations. He stated that committees representing the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and PML-N held discussions for 48 hours.
According to the prime minister, the government waited for approval of a draft agreed upon during the negotiations, but the approval did not come. He said a decision had ultimately become necessary to protect the public, the country, the economy and society.
Sharif maintained that the province could have suffered greater damage if action had been delayed. He added that PML-N would continue working towards development, prosperity and public service in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
On security, the prime minister alleged that militants had been brought back from Afghanistan and resettled in Pakistan during 2019 and 2020. He said the renewed wave of terrorism had caused significant damage and claimed that calls for collective action against terrorism had not received the necessary response.
Sharif further said political and military leadership had worked extensively to stabilise the national economy. He acknowledged that international developments and the Gulf conflict had contributed to an extraordinary rise in energy prices but said the government had introduced a fuel subsidy scheme to provide relief.
According to the prime minister, around 13 million people had benefited from the scheme, for which the government allocated Rs75 billion. He said supporting low-income citizens remained a key priority and that the government was taking measures to prevent further economic instability.
