No choice but to act: Dar defends KP emergency

Summary

• Turning to relations with Afghanistan, Dar said Pakistan had made repeated diplomatic efforts to persuade the Afghan authorities to prevent terrorist groups from using their territory to launch attacks.
• Dar said Pakistan had fulfilled its commitments to Afghanistan and continued to pursue stronger economic relations despite security challenges.
• Dar said Pakistan’s counter-terrorism strategy, diplomatic initiatives and defence partnerships were aimed at protecting citizens, strengthening regional cooperation and promoting lasting peace.

AI Generated Summary

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has defended the federal government’s decision to impose governor’s rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), saying the move was necessary to protect citizens from terrorism. He maintained that public safety could not be compromised for political reasons and stressed that the government had a responsibility to act wherever the lives of Pakistanis were threatened.

Addressing a conference on Pakistan’s evolving counter-terrorism landscape in Islamabad on Monday, Dar said the government had concluded that there was no alternative to the measures taken in the province. He rejected the impression that the decision was politically motivated, arguing that KP had faced persistent security challenges for more than a decade.

The federal government imposed governor’s rule in KP on Sunday after President Asif Ali Zardari approved Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice under Article 234 of the Constitution. The decision came amid growing tensions between the federal government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial administration over counter-terrorism efforts. PTI has rejected the move as unconstitutional and vowed to resist it.

Dar said the government was prepared to bear the political consequences of difficult decisions if they helped protect lives, property and the national economy. Referring to previous economic measures taken to prevent Pakistan from defaulting, he said the government had repeatedly prioritised national interests despite the political costs.

He expressed hope that the latest measures would improve security in KP over the coming weeks and months. He said the government’s objectives included restoring peace, protecting civilians and preventing the spread of radicalisation.

The deputy prime minister also recalled the government’s engagement with political opponents during the 126-day sit-in in Islamabad in 2014. He said political differences had never prevented dialogue, but maintained that security concerns required decisive action when circumstances demanded it.

Dar said Pakistan had suffered enormous losses because of terrorism, with the economic damage exceeding $150 billion. He noted that the figure was higher than Pakistan’s total external debt, which he put at $130 billion. He added that the consequences extended beyond financial losses, damaging the country’s international reputation and depriving it of economic and development opportunities.

Recalling attacks on civilians, including the Army Public School massacre in Peshawar, bombings at mosques and markets, attacks on public transport and the killing of workers, Dar said the nation continued to pay a heavy price for terrorism. He stressed that the victims included ordinary citizens as well as members of the security forces.

He said counter-terrorism had become a national priority, with renewed efforts to implement the National Action Plan and improve coordination between civilian and military institutions. The Federal Apex Committee, he added, had brought key leadership together to assess threats and formulate responses.

Dar also highlighted the Azm-e-Istehkam initiative, which he said was approved by the prime minister with the support of the provinces and other stakeholders. The initiative seeks to coordinate military operations, intelligence gathering, law enforcement and diplomatic engagement while addressing factors that contribute to extremism.

He said the government was also working to strengthen intelligence-sharing arrangements and improve the role of the National Counter Terrorism Authority. He called for closer cooperation between the federal and provincial governments, stressing that counter-terrorism required a united national response.

Paying tribute to the armed forces and law enforcement agencies, Dar praised their efforts against terrorist networks. He also commended Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir for his role in the country’s security efforts, saying personnel continued to confront threats at considerable personal risk.