Emergency or governor’s rule in KP should be last-resort option: Bilawal

KARACHI – Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday said that the PPP had always believed in positive politics and dialogue in the country and wants to see the youth of Karachi holding pens in their hands, not weapons.

The PPP leader while addressing the inauguration ceremony of a newly-built sports complex in Baldia Town said that his party believes in positive politics, not negative politics.

He said certain political forces in Karachi were practicing the politics of hatred, division and conflict, while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa too, confrontation is being chosen over dialogue to resolve political differences. He said it is the responsibility of political parties to solve people’s problems and focus on public welfare in their respective provinces.

Bilawal said emergency rule or governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are constitutional and legal options, but should only be used as a last-resort. The PPP’s position, he said, is that all political issues should first be addressed through dialogue. He said progress had been made toward talks between the federal government and the opposition, but certain actions by the KP Chief Minister disrupted the negotiation process.

The PPP chairman said that while political differences are natural, extremism and continuous confrontation harm the country, the province, and the political party involved itself. He said that although PTI still has supporters across the country, its workers have grown disillusioned due to the party’s political decisions, boycotts and confrontational politics. He urged PTI to abandon the politics of extremism, attend parliamentary committee meetings, restore contact with other political parties, and play its role in parliament.

Bilawal said an agreement had been reached with the federal government, after lengthy negotiations, on forming a parliamentary committee on electoral reforms. Thanking the PML-N, he expressed hope that the electoral reforms committee would be formed and that all relevant parties would participate, so joint efforts could be made to ensure future elections are clean, transparent and credible. He said parties that raise the loudest voice against electoral rigging should also be practically involved in the reform process.

Bilawal said the PPP wants PTI to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and cooperate with the federal government on important national matters, including the war against terrorism. He said that through political dialogue, participation in parliamentary activities, and engagement with other parties, PTI could resolve its political issues, ease the difficulties facing the provincial government, and spare its voters further disappointment. He stressed that space for political parties to play a democratic and parliamentary role must be preserved, since shrinking that space for even one party affects the entire political system.

Responding to questions from journalists, the PPP chairman said that dialogue is a core part of the PPP’s political philosophy, and that a lasting solution to every political problem must be found through talks. He welcomed Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s role in the negotiations and expressed hope that his efforts would succeed, so that emergency rule or governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would not become necessary. He said that if the talks succeed, it would build trust between political parties and open new avenues for dialogue in the future. However, he added, the provincial government’s lack of cooperation with the federal government — amid terrorism incidents in the province, cross-border attacks from Afghanistan, and national security concerns — remains a cause of concern.

If the federal government does not receive provincial cooperation on serious matters of terrorism and security, constitutional and legal questions regarding emergency rule naturally arise, he said and clarified that the PPP still prioritises dialogue and that political forces are working to find a democratic solution to the issues.

Responding to another question, he said that had the PPP wanted to rush into imposing emergency rule, this could already have been done through the President’s constitutional powers. Instead, he said, the PPP has proposed dialogue and political engagement in an effort to halt that process and find a political solution. He said the party’s objective is not to politically restrict any party, but to protect the democratic system and political space.

Responding to a question about Karachi’s development, he said the city’s progress holds special importance for him, having been born here. He said Karachi’s civic life was severely affected in the past by violence, killings, strikes and political clashes, but sustained political struggle and sacrifices made it possible to restore peace in the city, after which the journey of development moved forward.

Responding to a question on the federal government’s economic policies and the provision of relief to the public, he said PM Shehbaz Sharif, too, surely wants the public to receive relief — but it is important to examine why people are not getting the relief they need under current circumstances.

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