PM Shehbaz defends KP emergency, says failed talks left govt with no alternative

Profit by Pakistan Today reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif defended the emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the federal government had no alternative after talks on the political crisis failed. In Gujranwala on Saturday, he said a committee appointed by the government spent 48 hours negotiating a draft deal to halt a planned long march. The talks later collapsed, and authorities acted to prevent a potentially violent confrontation.

Shehbaz contended that letting the situation deteriorate would have amounted to negligence, and he cited earlier long marches that disrupted economic activity and hurt trade. He also accused some protest organisers of wanting to provoke bloodshed. Separately, he linked militancy from Afghanistan to a worsening security picture in KP, and an advisory council of impartial, competent figures now oversees provincial affairs.

On the economy, he said escalating Gulf tensions had pushed up global inflation and strained households, so the government is offering targeted fuel subsidies to owners of motorcycles, rickshaws and vehicles up to 800cc. The scheme supports 12 million beneficiaries and Rs75 billion is planned for it, with about 65 million people expected to gain directly or indirectly.