The KP emergency has drawn a firm defence from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who on Sunday urged political parties to consider the country’s security challenges before criticising counterterrorism measures. Addressing an event in Karachi, he backed the federal government’s decision to impose emergency measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and called on rival parties to join a collective effort against militancy.
The event marked the anniversary of the Karsaz tragedy, which took place on October 18, 2007, when twin bomb blasts struck a procession welcoming former prime minister Benazir Bhutto back to Karachi after eight years in self-imposed exile. More than 180 people were killed and hundreds were injured. Bilawal described the Karsaz tragedy as a painful chapter in the history of sacrifices made for democracy, and said it could never be forgotten.
Why Bilawal Backs the KP Emergency
Bilawal said the government had been compelled to impose emergency measures because of the prevailing security situation, and he urged political parties not to criticise counterterrorism measures without weighing the challenges facing the country. He added that his party had always imposed emergency measures through constitutional and legal means. Both houses of Parliament, he said, should work together to confront terrorism, and the fight would continue until terrorists were eliminated. Praising the sacrifices of the armed forces, he said that all parties would collectively confront the menace.
The federal government imposed the KP emergency on October 11, after President Asif Ali Zardari approved the move on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution. A joint sitting of Parliament subsequently approved the emergency and governor’s rule for two months on October 15, a day after the National Assembly and the Senate had separately endorsed them.
Pressure on Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Sohail Afridi
Bilawal’s remarks came after JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman criticised the federal government over the imposition of the emergency and governor’s rule. Bilawal urged the cleric to condemn terrorist activities openly, noting that members of the JUI-F had also lost their lives in such attacks. He said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman could not deny the presence of terrorism in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Bilawal also criticised Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, whose office is now dysfunctional under the emergency measures. According to Bilawal, the provincial chief executive had not been willing to cooperate with the federal government and was not prepared to confront terrorism, whereas the PPP was ready to fight the menace.
His stance on the KP emergency has been consistent over recent days. Addressing the National Assembly on October 14, he blamed the PTI-led provincial government for the circumstances that led to the proclamation, describing its conduct as a “political suicide attack” on its own government. He also said that his party supported the decision. Earlier, on October 3, he had said that the PPP urged the Centre to seek a political solution before resorting to emergency or governor’s rule.
Offer of Dialogue and Electoral Reforms
Bilawal invited the opposition to hold talks with the government if it genuinely wanted to end terrorism and the KP emergency. In the National Assembly, he had said that he would personally ask the prime minister to end the emergency if the opposition helped bring about the necessary political conditions. He also said the federal government had decided to establish an electoral reforms committee and invited opposition parties to take part in its work. Although the PPP was not part of the government, he added, it was trying to deliver on its manifesto.
Opposition Rejects the Government’s Rationale
The opposition remains unconvinced. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has termed the KP emergency unconstitutional and illegal, and has argued that if security concerns justify such a step in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, similar action should be considered in Balochistan and the Katcha areas. The PTI has also moved the Peshawar High Court against the emergency and governor’s rule, and the court has fixed the party’s petition for hearing on October 20.
The political exchange extended beyond the PPP. On Friday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said, while speaking informally to journalists in Lahore, that the head of a political party was deeply upset over not receiving the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governorship or a role in the governor’s rule setup. He did not name the politician, and urged critics to express their differences through arguments and facts rather than indecent language and accusations.
Outlook for the KP Emergency
How long the KP emergency will last remains unclear. Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that it could remain in place for at least a year and might continue until 2029. Bilawal, by contrast, stressed on October 14 that an emergency is an extraordinary measure and cannot remain in force indefinitely. Hence, the next phase will depend on the Peshawar High Court proceedings, the security situation in the province, and whether the dialogue Bilawal has proposed materialises between the government and the opposition.
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