Stories
Pakistan Unrest: PTI Surrounds Governor House And Vows To Challenge Emergency In Court
- •Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has surrounded the Governor House in Peshawar amid escalating political tension.
- •PTI leaders announced plans to challenge the imposition of presidential rule and emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the High Court.
- •President Asif Ali Zardari imposed Governor's Rule in the north-western province, leading to the suspension of the PTI government.
- •Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi defended the federal action, stating it was necessary to combat terrorism effectively in the region.
- •Ousted Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and cabinet members were placed in preventive detention after leading a march toward Islamabad.
Key Questions Answered
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi explained that federal rule was necessary in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to effectively combat terrorism and address security concerns given its border with Afghanistan, noting that the war against terror cannot be won without local leadership support. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also claimed that terrorists had informally become part of the administrative structure in southern districts.
PTI condemned the suspension of their elected provincial government as illegal and announced plans to challenge the emergency and Governor's Rule in court. Party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram confirmed that their legal team has prepared a petition to fight the decision through constitutional and legal means, while supporters also staged protests by surrounding the Governor House in Peshawar.
According to Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, an emergency or Governor's Rule can be extended up to a maximum limit of 6 months under the Constitution. Furthermore, a joint session of Parliament is required to review the situation every two months and extend it if necessary.
