Amid growing speculations about the possible imposition of the governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday clarified the Centre has no intention of taking such a step against its rival PTI-led government in the province.
His remarks came days after the recent federal cabinet meeting discussed the option of governor’s rule in KP. The huddle blamed KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s administration for using “state machinery to attack the Centre” during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) “do-or-die” protest in Islamabad, well-placed sources had told Geo News.
Speaking on the Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, Adviser to PM on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Thursday said: “The federal cabinet in its meeting discussed the option of imposing governor’s rule in KP but a consensus could not emerge and the matter has been deferred for further deliberations.”
Addressing a press conference today, the defence minister, while referring to Islamabad unrest, said that PTI tried to sink the country’s economy.
“PTI launched a third onslaught on the Centre which was thwarted.”
Rubbishing the PTI’s claim about causalities at the hands of law enforcers, the minister said: “Security personnel were martyred during the PTI’s protest but found no evidence of any citizen’s death.”
A day earlier, PTI claimed: “At least 12 people were killed on the spot and the bodies were not handed over to the relatives.” Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram slammed the government for “denying the facts”.
The government authorities said that five security personnel, three Rangers and two Punjab police personnel were martyred during the protests of the former ruling party.
