Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has revealed that the federal government was prepared to impose emergency rule or governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but his party successfully advocated for a political solution instead.
Speaking at the inauguration of a sewage treatment plant in Karachi on Saturday, Bilawal disclosed that the ruling coalition had made up its mind to take immediate constitutional action in KP due to the worsening security crisis. However, the PPP intervened and convinced the government to first pursue dialogue with all political stakeholders, including the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
The former foreign minister emphasized that while emergency measures and governor’s rule are legitimate constitutional tools, political parties must exhaust all avenues for negotiation before resorting to such drastic steps. He described emergency imposition as deploying “an atomic bomb” that should only be used as a last resort.
Bilawal’s remarks came as government and opposition representatives held their second round of formal talks in years, with both sides working to defuse tensions ahead of PTI’s planned October 4 long march toward Islamabad. The protest aims to secure the release of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan and restore what the party calls constitutional supremacy.
The PPP chairman called for a formal written agreement between the federal government and all provinces to jointly combat terrorism, warning that the security crisis would not remain confined to any single region. He stressed that terrorism must be treated as a national issue rather than a political one, urging all parties to set aside their differences when confronting this threat.
Bilawal specifically criticized the KP provincial government for not giving sufficient attention to the escalating terrorist attacks in the province. He pointed to India’s alleged role in terrorist activities originating from Afghanistan and warned that continued deterioration in KP and Balochistan would inevitably impact other parts of Pakistan, particularly Karachi.
“Karachi is a mini Pakistan. We are connected to every city, every province,” he said. “If Khyber Pakhtunkhwa gets sick, Karachi gets a cough.”
The PPP leader acknowledged PTI’s right to protest and even conceded that the party had achieved some political success through its demonstrations, which effectively shut down Islamabad for ten days. However, he urged PTI workers to recognize their accomplishments and conclude the march, especially given the deteriorating security environment.
Bilawal revealed that President Asif Ali Zardari, the federal government, and the PPP had maintained close contact over recent weeks as terrorist incidents multiplied in KP and cross-border attacks from Afghanistan intensified. The PPP proposed that political parties engage directly with PTI to persuade them to end the planned march.
The chairman emphasized that political stability would strengthen democracy and enable Pakistan to tackle terrorism more effectively without needing emergency measures. He warned that if the provincial government continued to refuse cooperation with the Centre, constitutional options would eventually have to be considered.
“Terrorism is the red line of the Pakistan People’s Party,” Bilawal declared, reminding the audience that his party has lost numerous workers and leaders to terrorist violence over the years.
His statement underscores the delicate balance Pakistan’s political leadership is attempting to strike between respecting democratic norms and addressing urgent security challenges that threaten the nation’s stability.
