Rana Sanaullah says KP emergency may continue until 2029

Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah has said the emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could remain in place until 2029, arguing that the measure would be a reasonable price to pay if it helped restore peace and protect the public.

He said the emergency might continue for at least a year and potentially until 2029, expressing hope that efforts to establish peace would achieve their objectives by then.

He added that successfully carrying out the assigned responsibilities would be a significant achievement for the federal government.

Sanaullah said thousands of people had lost their lives in the fight against terrorism, while security personnel continued to make sacrifices on the front lines. He expressed confidence that the campaign against terrorism would ultimately succeed.

He said counterterrorism operations would be conducted on a large scale but maintained that the measures would not result in the displacement of local residents.

Criticising Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Sanaullah described him as politically inexperienced and questioned his understanding of political affairs. He drew a comparison with former Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar, saying Afridi had similarly been entrusted with both party leadership and the provincial government.

Sanaullah also claimed that during negotiations, individuals with considerable experience were taking directions from Afridi. He said the proposed agreement would have benefited Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), but the party ultimately declined to accept it.

Discussing the opposition’s proposed long march, Sanaullah said calling off the demonstration was a prerequisite for negotiations. He maintained that the opposition’s demands could be discussed only after the march was cancelled, adding that the negotiating committee lacked the authority to make that decision.

He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had conveyed the same message to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in his presence, making it clear that the march must be called off before talks could move forward.

According to Sanaullah, the prime minister repeated the demand two days earlier, urging the opposition to cancel the protest and return to negotiations.

Rejecting claims that the government had withdrawn from dialogue, Sanaullah said the authorities would not accept demands made under pressure or threats of a long march.

He clarified that he was not present at an early-morning meeting between the prime minister and Fazlur Rehman, which began at around 6am, as he arrived after the meeting had started.

Turning to Afghanistan, Sanaullah criticised the situation there, describing it as marked by what he called ignorance and brutality. He also highlighted restrictions preventing girls from attending school.

Commenting on Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Sanaullah questioned his association with PTI and said the opposition wanted the term “unanimous” included in the proposed understanding on counterterrorism operations.

He further said Fazlur Rehman had developed a misunderstanding regarding the negotiations.