NA approves emergency in KP amid opposition uproar

Summary

• Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar defended the federal government’s decision, arguing that the provincial government’s approach to counterterrorism had become a threat to national security.
• The federal government imposed emergency measures and governor’s rule in KP on October 11, suspending the PTI-led provincial administration.
• He accused the PTI-led provincial administration of failing to give sufficient attention to security challenges and said counterterrorism efforts required close cooperation between federal and provincial authorities.

AI Generated Summary

The National Assembly on Wednesday approved a resolution endorsing the emergency imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the government securing a majority vote despite strong opposition from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers.

The resolution was presented by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. Opposition members protested the move and opposed a motion to suspend the question hour. However, the House adopted the motion by a majority vote before proceeding with the emergency resolution. The session was later adjourned until Friday at 11am.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar defended the federal government’s decision, arguing that the provincial government’s approach to counterterrorism had become a threat to national security. He said the Constitution required a presidential proclamation of emergency under Article 232 to be presented before both houses of Parliament for approval within 10 days.

The federal government imposed emergency measures and governor’s rule in KP on October 11, suspending the PTI-led provincial administration. The move followed growing tensions between the Centre and the provincial government over security challenges, rising militant attacks and coordination on counterterrorism operations.