A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the possibility of a long march by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has concluded, according to sources.
The meeting reviewed the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the context of the PTI’s possible long march and considered the government’s response to the developing situation.
Sources said it was decided that the federal government would consult President Asif Ali Zardari on the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The government also decided to hold consultations with other relevant stakeholders as part of efforts to assess the situation and determine the way forward, according to the sources.
Further details regarding the government’s decisions and the proposed consultations are expected to emerge following the discussions with the president and other stakeholders.
Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said that consultations have taken place over the possibility of imposing Governor’s Rule in the province, adding that such a step has been taken in the past and is not, in itself, an unconstitutional measure.
Speaking to the media in Peshawar, Kundi also commented on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) planned long march, saying the party had made no preparations for the protest and alleging that its leaders were attempting to find a way out of the situation.
He claimed that some PTI leaders had gone into hiding and were allegedly seeking their own arrests to avoid participating in the long march.
“There is no preparation by PTI for the long march,” Kundi said, adding that while the party was talking about marching on Islamabad, some of its members were voluntarily presenting themselves for arrest.
The governor said the possibility of Governor’s Rule existed and that the Constitution provided for such a measure. He linked the discussion to the law-and-order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, referring to concerns over corruption, lawlessness and terrorism.
He said he would oppose the proposed legislation if it was sent to him for approval, adding that he would protect the interests of police personnel and resist measures that, in his view, could undermine the existing police structure.
The KP cabinet recently approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Act 2026, which proposes changes to the police administrative structure, including powers relating to appointments and transfers of senior officers as well as police policy and operations.
The governor’s comments come amid heightened political tensions between the federal and KP governments over governance, policing and PTI’s planned September 27 long march towards Islamabad. The federal government has previously discussed legal options concerning KP, including Governor’s Rule, while Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said earlier this week that the federal government had no intention of imposing it.