PESHAWAR: Political tension between the federal and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governments escalated on Sunday as the Centre reportedly considered the imposition of governor’s rule or emergency in the province and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government mulled over options of in-house change or the dissolution of the assembly.

The developments come after a standoff over PTI's planned march on Islamabad, which has been postponed from Sept 27 to Oct 4. Sources said disqualification of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, his replacement, no-confidence motion, and dissolution of the provincial assembly were also being discussed.

Under Article 136 of the Constitution, a no-confidence motion against the chief minister can be moved with the signatures of at least 20% of the total membership of the assembly. If the assembly is moved, it has to meet within three to seven days to discuss the motion. The governor is also empowered by the Constitution (Article 130(7)) to ask the chief minister for a vote of confidence if the governor feels that he no longer enjoys a majority.

In the backdrop of the political uncertainty, Afridi said his government did not want a confrontation with the federation but wanted terrorism eliminated and peace restored in the province.

Speaking in Dera Ismail Khan, he urged the federal government to take the K-P government into confidence on the issue of counterterrorism policy, saying the province continued to bear a heavy burden of violence. He also condemned the divisive remarks of representatives of federal and Punjab governments.

Afridi said his government has allocated Rs35 billion for peace and security and wondered about the delays in the delivery of armored personnel carriers by federal institutions Heavy Industries Taxila and National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation despite payments by K-P.

He said repeated military and intelligence operations have not succeeded in eradicating terrorism and called for change of policy based on ground realities.

The chief minister also visited the injured victims of attack on the Aman Mela Check Post in Dera Ismail Khan. He was accompanied by former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

The deepening political divide adds another layer of uncertainty to a province already struggling with persistent security challenges. With the PTI-led government in K-P contemplating its own course of action and the federal government pondering over constitutional and political options, the coming days could be crucial for the province’s political stability. For now, the debate has focused on calls for dialog, better coordination, and a unified response to terrorism, as any further standoff between the two governments could impede efforts to address security concerns in the province.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)