Governor's rule in KP would be 'last resort', says Pakistan defense minister

Pakistan's government would consider imposing governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa only as a last resort, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Wednesday.

He told reporters at Parliament House that tensions are escalating between the federal government and the opposition-led provincial administration over security and a planned protest march.

Will the government impose governor's rule in KP?

Asif said the government was considering all constitutional and legal options, including governor's rule, but would make a decision based on the prevailing circumstances. He said the federal government had a responsibility to protect the capital if it came under attack, and that repeated attempts to enter Islamabad through what he described as “armed incursions” could not be allowed.

“If no other option remains, we cannot leave the federal capital at the mercy of anyone,” he said.

His remarks come amid an ongoing protest by supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), whose founder and former prime minister Imran Khan is in prison. The confrontation between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration also covers security, the protest movement and the treatment of Khan.

What did Khawaja Asif say about the KP government and the PTI?

The defense minister alleged that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had links with the Taliban, without providing details. He said political alliances with groups allegedly responsible for the deaths of thousands of Pakistanis could not be accepted.

Asif also criticized Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, saying he was seeking to protect his position and build political support. He questioned the participation of PTI lawmakers in the protest, particularly from Punjab, where the party has a substantial political presence.

“If even one PTI person from Sialkot has joined the current protest, let me know,” he said.

Asif also claimed that differences within the PTI had deepened. He said some party leaders and allied lawmakers in the National Assembly were seeking a politically acceptable way out of the current impasse.

What did Asif say about talks with the PTI and the long march?

On the possibility of talks, Asif said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had already invited the party to negotiate. He argued that negotiations would be difficult if either side imposed preconditions at the outset, and that setting conditions before talks began risked preventing an agreement.

“The government is ready if PTI comes for talks without conditions,” he said. He added that negotiations should remain open and that any eventual settlement should be acceptable to the country and all relevant stakeholders.

The defense minister said political disputes tended to intensify when political struggles became focused on preserving positions and securing control over resources. Asked about the PTI's decision to launch a long march demanding access to its incarcerated founder, he said he did not have complete information about the party's decision.

Asif urged the PTI to consider how political prisoners had been treated during previous periods of government, including the facilities extended to them. “A country cannot be allowed to fall apart merely for the happiness or wishes of an incarcerated person,” he said. He further urged the PTI to act as a political party rather than what he called a “terrorist organization.”