KARACHI(National Times)- Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Monday asserted that the PPP was the \u201clast party\u201d in favour of governor\u2019s rule and emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that it had emphasised dialogue as the first course of action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Centre imposed governor\u2019s rule and emergency in KP on Oct 11, citing the provincial government\u2019s \u201cdeliberate disengagement\u201d from the fight against terrorism. The move also followed a mobilisation drive and protest march by the PTI, which was in power in KP and in opposition in the Centre, to demand the release of its jailed founder, Imran Khan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PPP, an ally of the ruling PML-N, supported the federal government\u2019s move while opposition parties and leaders, in addition to the PTI, denounced it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Memon, who was speaking to the media in Karachi, said: \u201cLet me clarify; the step taken in KP was not out of greed or desire for power. Had it been the case, the members of the advisory council appointed by the [KP] governor would have been political representatives or suggested by the PPP.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey were chosen purely on merit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The minister deemed terrorism the main challenge being faced in KP, adding that it was \u201cplaguing\u201d the entire country. He said the Afghan Taliban were crossing into Pakistan, infiltrating the borders areas in KP. That, he said, had been a \u201cbig challenge\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd the KP government was repeatedly told to fix things, but they were unwilling,\u201d Memon claimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said a comparison was also being drawn between KP and Balochistan, which was also facing security challenges. Questions were being raised that if governor\u2019s rule was imposed in KP, why not in Balochistan, he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf there is terrorism in Balochistan, the provincial government there is fighting against it,\u201d Memon argued, adding that Balochistan\u2019s chief minister did not have a \u201csoft spot\u201d for terrorists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He alleged that former premier Imran and later Sohail Afridi, who has become non-functional as the KP chief minister following the imposition of governor\u2019s rule, had insisted on dialogue with terrorists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was the responsibility of the KP chief minister and government to fight against terrorists,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coming to his party\u2019s involvement in the imposition of governor\u2019s rule in KP, he said the PPP was the \u201clast party\u201d in favour of the move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PPP tried to engage the opposition and insisted that a dialogue be held with the PTI first, Memon said, adding that, however, \u201cwhen just one person, the KP chief minister\u201d was not willing to engage on counterterrorism and had a \u201csoft spot\u201d for terrorists, the people could not be left helpless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also reacted to statements by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who has been critical of the federal government over the imposition of governor\u2019s rule in KP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe respect him a lot but that does not mean he supports a party that has backed terrorism,\u201d he said, adding that Fazl should consider the challenges Pakistan was going through. \u201cThey (JUI-F) should help the government against terrorists, help our law enforcement agencies,\u201d Memon added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KARACHI(National Times)- Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Monday asserted that the PPP was the \u201clast party\u201d in favour of governor\u2019s rule and emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that it had emphasised dialogue as the first course of action. The Centre imposed governor\u2019s rule and emergency in KP on Oct 11, citing the provincial […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":135079,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n