No plan to impose governor rule in KP, clarifies Khawaja Asif

• PTI tried to sink country’s economy, says defence minister.
• “PTI launched third onslaught on Centre which was thwarted.”
• Asif says security personnel martyred during PTI’s protest.

ISLAMABAD: 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.

The defence minister said: “The KP government attacked Centre with [official] weapons and equipment.”

He advised the provincial government to focus on the law and order situation in the province in general and in Parachinar in particular.

The death toll from ongoing tribal clashes in District Kurram has risen to 124, as two more individuals lost their lives and 10 others were injured in fresh incidents of firing, sources told Geo News. 

The police confirmed that the latest spell of violence, now entering its tenth day, has claimed 124 lives in total and injured 178 others. 

Meanwhile, Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, during his interaction with journalists, said that the PPP was not in favour of the governor’s rule in KP. 

He further said that if a “militant wing” of the political party is formed then the ban could be considered. The governor said that the embattled PTI should review its behaviour.