Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has defended the decision to impose Governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the province could have suffered further damage from terrorism without timely action. He said the government had to take difficult decisions to protect the public, economy and society.
Addressing the parliamentary party and office-bearers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the prime minister discussed the province’s political situation, security challenges and development. He described the province as an important part of Pakistan and praised its people for their courage and sacrifices.
Shehbaz Sharif said the PML-N had supported democratic traditions in the province. He recalled that after the 2013 general elections, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif allowed the majority party to form the provincial government. However, he criticised the performance of the party that had remained in power for 13 years. He questioned how many universities and hospitals had been established during that period.
The prime minister said people across Peshawar, Kohistan, Hazara and southern districts continued to face public service challenges. He also highlighted the sacrifices made by residents, police personnel, security forces and political leaders during the fight against terrorism. He recalled the Army Public School attack in Peshawar as one of the country’s most painful tragedies.
He alleged that militants were brought back from Afghanistan and settled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during 2019 and 2020. He said their return contributed to the resurgence of terrorism and caused significant losses. He also questioned the use of Rs800 billion received by the province under the National Finance Commission Award. He asked how many Safe City projects had been established and why 5,000 vacant police positions remained unfilled.
Shehbaz Sharif said the federal government had attempted to resolve the provincial issues through negotiations. He stated that committees from the PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party held discussions for 48 hours. However, the proposed draft did not receive the required approval. He added that the government also continued efforts to provide public relief through a fuel subsidy scheme, which had benefited 13 million people.
The prime minister said Governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was imposed due to unavoidable circumstances. He maintained that delaying the decision could have exposed the province to further losses. He added that the PML-N would continue working for the province’s development, prosperity and public welfare.
