The Federal Cabinet in a meeting with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, in the chair, Sunday, suggested him to advise the President to invoke constitutional powers under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution regarding the promulgation of an emergency in the province.

The prime minister chaired a meeting of the federal cabinet to review the deteriorating law and order situation and rising terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). In this regard, a summary has been sent to the Aiwan e Sadr, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.

During the meeting, the cabinet was given a comprehensive briefing on the security crisis. In light of the worsening security environment and what it termed the provincial government’s deliberate detachment from the fight against terrorism, the cabinet conducted a detailed review of the situation.

Given the gravity of the circumstances, the cabinet advised the Prime Minister to recommend that the President of Pakistan invoke constitutional powers under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution to impose an emergency in the province.

Earlier, speaking in the cabinet meeting, the prime minister condemned the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government over its failure to tackle rising terrorism, declaring that the federal government will no longer remain a silent spectator.

The prime minister expressed deep concern over the worsening security situation in districts like Tank and Dera Ismail Khan, where local populations are bearing the brunt of terrorists’ attacks.

He strongly condemned the provincial leadership’s silence and lack of empathy towards terror victims, while criticising their response to federal overtures for a joint counter-terrorism strategy.

The prime minister said, despite two days of productive negotiations between federal coalition leaders (PML-N and PPP) and a PTI delegation, the final consensus draft was rejected at the eleventh hour by the KP Chief Minister.

About the provincial leadership’s “sinister role” and attempting to “invade Islamabad to reenact past foul play,” he said “We will not remain silent in the face of such a situation. The law will take its course; we will not allow such acts.”

The prime minister urged federal cabinet members to make resolute decisions to address the escalating security crisis in the province.

In his remarks, broadcast on the national TV channels, the prime minister expressed his anguish and said how the provincial leadership had chosen to remain silent and engage in political obstruction over the safety of its own citizens!

Highlighting the security crisis plaguing KP where innocent civilians, police personnel, and children are routinely targeted, he said recalled that during the 2010 NFC Award, all four provinces voluntarily agreed to allocate an additional 1% share of financial resources to KP, making it roughly Rs 800 billion over the years to capacity building of its police force in the fight against terror.