• PM’s aide criticises PTI leadership over ‘lax’ counterterrorism role; absence from apex committee meetings
• Assails Achakzai over ‘unwillingness’ to sit with PM in speaker’s chamber
• PML-N senator blames PTI’s ‘political approach’ for imposition of governor’s rule
ISLAMABAD: Controversy over the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) continued to dominate Senate proceedings for a second consecutive day, with Rana Sanaullah saying that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the federal government were ready to engage in dialogue with all political parties, including the opposition, on national security.
“The federal government is ready to invite all political parties and build consensus on counterterrorism,” the PM’s adviser on political affairs said while speaking on the floor of the upper house.
He said that unlike the former KP government led by Sohail Afridi, the Balochistan government continued to extend full support to the federal government’s counterterrorism efforts, and criticised the PTI leadership for failing to fulfil its responsibilities in combating terrorism.
“Even now, if all parties can agree to sit down and discuss this issue, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is willing to invite them and find a way forward,” he said, urging political parties to set aside their other demands and “stand united” in tackling terrorism.
Criticising Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Mr Sanaullah said, “He became leader of the opposition after the speaker approved his appointment; however, he does not accept the speaker’s authority and is not even willing to meet the prime minister. He has also refused to sit with the prime minister in the speaker’s chamber.”
Mr Sanaullah also referred to the rise in terrorist activity, expressing sorrow over the martyrdom of an army officer a day earlier. Addressing the opposition, he said, “You are running a propaganda campaign against the head of this institution and making below-the-belt remarks.” He also criticised members of the now non-functional PTI-led KP government for failing to attend apex committee meetings.
“In 11 months, there was only one apex committee meeting attended by the KP chief minister, and the way he was brought there has already been explained by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi,” he said.
Recalling the federal government’s talks with the PTI earlier this month, Mr Sanaullah said the two sides had agreed to establish a political committee comprising members from both sides. However, he added, the talks broke down over a single issue: the PTI’s willingness to fulfil its responsibilities and support the federal government’s counterterrorism efforts.
Supporting the proposed measures, PML-N Senator Afnanullah Khan said the PTI’s political approach had led to the proposed imposition of governor’s rule and an emergency in KP.
He said 3,000 terrorist incidents had occurred in KP over the past year, while the unemployment rate had increased from 8 per cent in 2013 to 12pc. He added that the literacy rate had remained stagnant at 50pc.
Rejecting allegations that the proposed imposition of governor’s rule was motivated by the province’s mineral resources, he said the minerals had not been discovered in the past six months.
PTI Senator Falak Naz Chitrali said the party’s mandate in KP had been stolen in the previous general elections.
Her party colleague Gurdeep Singh said terrorism had persisted in KP since 2005 and questioned who was responsible for the situation.
He claimed that the KP chief minister and the provincial assembly speaker had been ‘kidnapped’ and that the security cover provided to lawmakers had been withdrawn.
Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2026
