ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday met with President Asif Ali Zardari, with the country\u2019s overall security and political situation coming under discussion as the federal government mulls imposing an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A statement issued by the President House said the premier was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It said that PPP\u2019s Sherry Rehman and Syed Naveed Qamar were also present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was agreed during the meeting to convene separate sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate on Tuesday (Oct 13),\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The development comes as the PML-N-led federal government and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government led by the PTI \u2014 which is in opposition in the Centre \u2014 have been at odds over various issues, particularly on the counterterrorism policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PTI has said it was being left out of security decisions concerning KP, which the Centre has denied. It also calls for reviewing the counterterrorism policy, while the latter criticises the KP government\u2019s efforts to combat terrorism in the province and objects to its stance on dialogue with the Afghan Taliban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In recent days, federal ministers have assailed the PTI for staging a protest long march, which it has been warned against, at a time when KP faces security challenges. They have also linked differences over the counterterrorism policy with the possibility of an emergency or governor\u2019s rule in KP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier on Saturday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar assailed the KP government over a \u201clack of governance\u201d in the province, alleging that the provincial administration was given Rs700 billion under the National Finance Commission for development projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou did not upgrade the Counter Terrorism Department, did not establish forensic labs, did not install safe city cameras, which should be installed in the merged districts and all the entry-exit points of KP\u2019s districts,\u201d he alleged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, the information minister claimed that the PTI was spending this money on organising protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minister says things headed toward \u2018last option\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking to Geo News on Saturday, Minister of State for Interior Affairs Tallal Chaudhry said that consultations were ongoing when asked about the imposition of an emergency in KP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is something that requires comprehensive consultations,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is not something we are in favour of as we are a democratic government, and this is a last resort.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chaudhry added that multiple options were being examined at different levels but questioned what other avenues were available, with the PTI failing to fulfil the federal government\u2019s requests to cooperate in the fight against terrorism, and inciting people and speaking against national policy during the ongoing long march.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAgain, I say consultations are ongoing, and this is a last resort. The options before this, such as talks and backdoor discussions \u2026 we tried everything. We will try to make sure we think through this last step if there is no other option, but it looks like things are headed towards the last option,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The state minister added that ties with the PTI remained in place, as they are the opposition in parliament and currently govern KP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI previously said that during the second round of talks, the interior minister met the prime minister and told him that the KP government is ready to cooperate in fighting terrorism,\u201d Chaudhry recounted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe prime minister told him to give KP whatever they need to fight terrorism on a political level, but they had to gather with us to fight terrorism and stand with our security forces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chaudhry added that the federal government gave the PTI relevance and space, even at the expense of the ruling PML-N\u2019s political goals, and that the government was not focused on politics but on the state and maintaining peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are ready to give everything and we have no ego. Whether we are in the government or opposition, our ego is Pakistan and it is not bigger than Pakistan,\u201d he emphasised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe hoped that we could do this together and on a single platform, but how many martyrs are the prime minister and chief of army staff going to carry on their shoulders? These people [the PTI] are not ready to carry the burden with us or stand with us, so what other option is left?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PM speaks to Fazl on reducing tensions between Centre, KP govt<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Separately, PM Shehbaz had a telephone call with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam\u2014Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, with reducing tensions between the Centre and the KP government among the topics discussed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a statement from the Prime Minister Office (PMO), PM Shehbaz congratulated the JUI-F leader on performing Umrah and extended an invitation for talks at the Prime Minister House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaulana Fazlur Rehman accepted the prime minister\u2019s invitation [and] the meeting is expected to take place soon,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The phone call follows recent contacts between Fazl, known for his engagement with politicians from across the board, and the opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Oct 3 talks held to bridge differences between the Centre and the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) failed due to multiple reasons, particularly the counterterrorism policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Tuesday, TTAP leaders called on Fazl at his residence, following which the veteran politician advised the federal government not to obstruct the PTI long march heading towards Islamabad, as protests were a democratic right enjoyed by all political parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next day, PM\u2019s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq met the JUI-F chief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Thursday, PTI MNA Junaid Akbar confirmed that Fazl had offered to play a role in ending the deadlock between the government and opposition, adding that the PTI\u2019s \u201cdoors are open\u201d to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking on Geo News, Akbar had said no framework had been put forward by Fazl regarding his role in the negotiations, although he noted that the JUI-F chief had been in touch with PTI leadership while he was away for Umrah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The same day, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also hinted at efforts to restart negotiations between the Centre and the opposition, saying, \u201cI wish a positive result comes out of the efforts of those involved in the talks. But, I have little hope.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking to Dawn, JUI-F spokesman Aslam Ghauri said his party chief was playing the role of a \u201cfacilitator, not a mediator\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He distinguished the two roles by saying that a mediator would have the authority from opposition parties to make their own decision in light of their demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is our (JUI-F\u2019s) priority to bring both sides on table for resumption of talks,\u201d he added, pointing out that they had urged the government to call a multi-party conference in Parliament House, where political and security issues should be discussed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The JUI-F leader said sitting at the table would benefit both sides, though the resumption of dialogue would mostly benefit the PTI because the KP government is \u201cvirtually being run by someone else and not by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday met with President Asif Ali Zardari, with the country\u2019s overall security and political situation coming under discussion as the federal government mulls imposing an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A statement issued by the President House said the premier was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":134638,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-134637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n