Federal cabinet discusses imposition of governor’s rule in KP

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to PM on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said the federal cabinet in its meeting considered the option of imposing governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) but a consensus could not emerge and the matter was deferred for further deliberations.

Sana was replying to a question posed by Hamid Mir in his Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’ on Thursday. He said the matter came up for consideration in the cabinet meeting as KP resources are being used for staging violent protests and march on Islamabad.

Rana Sana said if Ali Amin Gandapur was not the KP CM, he could not rally so many people for protests and march on Islamabad. He said that constitutional and legal aspects of governor’s rule in KP were discussed but no decision could be made, so the matter was deferred. This recommendation was tabled by Federal Minister Amir Muqam, seeking strict action against the PTI, during the federal cabinet’s session that was backed by a “majority of members”.

It stated that the KP government “gave a reason for the governor’s rule by invading the Centre twice”. It also blamed the KP government for using state machinery and employees to “attack the Centre”. The Ministry of Law and the attorney general also gave its opinion to the cabinet members on the recommendations. The sources close to the federal government revealed on Thursday that a majority of cabinet members — who met with a one-point agenda a day ago — backed the suggestion to impose the governor’s rule in KP, accusing the province of patronising the major opposition party’s protests against the coalition government.

However, the cabinet decided to consult coalition partners, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) as well as stakeholders like the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) and Awami National Party (ANP), before making a final decision.

Amid speculations of the governor’s rule, the KP advocate general office “completed preparations for a legal response” to the federal government. During a consultative session on Thursday, the law officers collected verdicts related to the governor’s rule to counter the expected decision from the Centre.

Meanwhile, amid growing speculations about the possible imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the advocate general’s office on Thursday intensified preparations to counter such a move through legal channels. Senior officials, including Additional Advocate General Inam Khan Yousufzai, have reportedly convened meetings to discuss the potential legal strategy and collected relevant judicial precedents.

Talking to Geo News, Inam Yousufzai emphasized that the prevailing law and order situation in KP does not justify the governor’s rule, asserting that such a measure would lack legal standing. He believed the province’s government is functioning effectively under a democratic mandate and warned that any unconstitutional imposition of the governor’s rule would be challenged in court.

“We are fully prepared for legal proceedings should such a situation arise,” he stated, adding that the advocate general’s office is well-equipped to defend the constitutional mandate of the provincial government. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has previously pointed to the deteriorating law and order in parts of KP as a rationale for federal intervention, a claim strongly denied by the provincial administration. The PTI-led government in KP views such statements as politically motivated and part of a broader strategy to undermine its authority.

Legal experts and political analysts are closely monitoring the situation, as any decision to impose the governor’s rule could have far-reaching implications for provincial autonomy and democratic governance. The advocate general’s office, while maintaining a firm stance against any unconstitutional measures, has reiterated its commitment to uphold the rule of law.

This development reflects the ongoing friction between the federal and provincial governments, with legal and political outcomes likely to shape the immediate future of governance in KP.

The ANP has rejected the governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). ANP spokesperson Ehsanullah Khan, speaking on Geo News, stated that such a measure is not a viable solution as it would expire after three months. He further noted that since the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) holds the majority in the KP Assembly, the governor’s rule would not have a significant impact. Highlighting the alarming rise in political instability, Khan called for a meaningful dialogue between the former ruling party and the government to ease political tensions.

Terming the potential governor’s rule “malice of the federal government”, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) KP Central Emir Abdul Wasey said the move would be “unconstitutional” and his party would strongly oppose it.