PM Shehbaz meets President Zardari as Centre mulls imposition of emergency in KP

PM Shehbaz meets President Zardari as Centre mulls imposition of emergency in KP.

Key points

• News Desk Published October 10, 2026 Updated October 11, 2026 03: 12am.
• The next day, PM's Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq met the JUI-F chief.
• Earlier in the day, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam had additionally met Kundi at Governor House in Peshawar.
• Afterwards, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Naqvi called on President Zardari in a separate gathering, the President House noted.
• "It was agreed during the meeting to convene separate sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate on Tuesday (Oct 13), " the statement remarked.

News Desk Published October 10, 2026 Updated October 11, 2026 03: 12am. Join our Whatsapp Channel.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday met with President Asif Ali Zardari, with the country's overall security and political situation coming under discussion as the federal administration mulls imposing an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the President House remarked the premier was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Adviser to the PM on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.

It remarked that PPP's Sherry Rehman and Syed Naveed Qamar were additionally present.

Notably, the president was briefed on the country's "overall security situation, particularly the worsening law and order situation" in KP. He was additionally informed concerning KP's "security and matters relating to law and order in the country".

Sharing a video on X, Kundi wrote, "KP has sacrificed enough. Protecting lives and defeating terrorism must take precedence over political interests."

In practice, the flurry of meetings followed heightened tensions between the PML-N-led federal administration and the KP administration led by the PTI – which is in opposition in the Centre. They have been at odds over various problems, particularly on the counterterrorism policy. It was one of the main reasons behind the breakdown of their Oct 3 negotiations.

In practice, the PTI has remarked it was being left out of security decisions concerning KP. It the Centre has denied. While the latter criticises the KP government's efforts to combat terrorism in the province and objects to its stance on dialogue with the Afghan Taliban, it additionally calls for reviewing the counterterrorism policy.

In recent days, federal ministers have assailed the PTI for staging a protest long march. It it has been cautioned against, at a time when KP faces security challenges. They have additionally linked differences over the counterterrorism policy with the possibility of an emergency or governor's rule in KP.

Earlier on Saturday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar assailed the KP administration over a "lack of governance" in the province, alleging that the provincial administration was given Rs700 billion under the National Finance Commission for development projects.

"You did not upgrade the Counter Terrorism Department, did not establish forensic labs, did not install safe city cameras, which should be installed in the merged districts and all the entry-exit points of KP's districts, " he alleged.

Notably, the information minister asserted that the PTI was instead spending this capital on organising protests. Minister notes things headed toward 'last option'.

Speaking to Geo News on Saturday, Minister of State for Interior Affairs Tallal Chaudhry remarked that consultations were ongoing when asked concerning the imposition of an emergency in KP.

"This is something that requires comprehensive consultations, " he remarked. "This is not something we are in favour of as we are a democratic government, and this is a last resort."

Chaudhry continued that multiple options were being examined at different levels but questioned what other avenues were available, with the PTI failing to fulfil the federal government's requests to cooperate in the fight against terrorism, and inciting residents and speaking against national policy during the ongoing long march.

"Again, I say consultations are ongoing, and this is a last resort. The options before this, such as discussions and backdoor discussions. We tried everything. We will try to create sure we think through this last step if there is no other option, but it looks like things are headed towards the last option, " he stressed.

As they are the opposition in parliament and at present govern KP, the state minister continued that ties with the PTI remained in place.

"I previously said that during the second round of talks, the interior minister met the prime minister and told him that the KP government is ready to cooperate in fighting terrorism, " Chaudhry recounted.

"The prime minister told him to give KP whatever they need to fight terrorism on a political level, but they had to gather with us to fight terrorism and stand with our security forces."

Chaudhry continued that the federal administration offered the PTI relevance and space, even at the expense of the ruling PML-N's political goals, and that the administration was not focused on politics but on the state and maintaining peace.

"We are ready to offer everything and we have no ego. Whether we are in the administration or opposition, our ego is Pakistan and it is not bigger than Pakistan, " he emphasised.

"We hoped that we could do this together and on a single platform, but how plenty of martyrs are the prime minister and chief of army staff going to carry on their shoulders? These individuals are not ready to carry the burden with us or stand with us, so what other option is left?" PM speaks to Fazl on reducing tensions between Centre, KP govt.

Separately, Jamiat Ulema-I-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman met PM Shehbaz in Islamabad after the two discussed reducing tensions between the Centre and the KP administration during a phone call.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister Office (PMO), the two held consultations on "important national and political matters".

According to An earlier statement by the JUI-F, fazl had departed for the discussions on the "country's political situation".

JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghauri, in the statement, remarked Fazl additionally took the "PTI leadership into confidence" before heading for the session with the prime minister.

Meanwhile, an earlier statement from the PMO remarked PM Shehbaz had called the JUI-F chief and congratulated him on performing Umrah and extended an invitation for negotiations at the Prime Minister House.

In practice, the two additionally discussed reducing tensions between the Centre and the KP administration during the phone call, the statement noted.

In practice, the phone call follows recent contacts between Fazl, known for his engagement with politicians from throughout the board, and the opposition.

After which the veteran politician advised the federal administration not to obstruct the PTI long march heading towards Islamabad, as protests were a democratic right enjoyed by all political parties, on Tuesday, TTAP leaders called on Fazl at his residence.

In practice, the next day, PM's Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq met the JUI-F chief.

On Thursday, PTI MNA Junaid Akbar confirmed that Fazl had offered to play a role in ending the deadlock between the administration and opposition, adding that the PTI's "doors are open" to it.

Although he observed that the JUI-F chief had been in touch with PTI leadership while he was away for Umrah, speaking on Geo News, Akbar had remarked no framework had been proposed by Fazl regarding his role in the negotiations.

Meanwhile, the same day, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif additionally hinted at efforts to restart negotiations between the Centre and the opposition, saying, "I wish a positive result comes out of the efforts of those involved in the negotiations. But, I have little hope."

Speaking to Dawn, JUI-F spokesman Aslam Ghauri remarked his party chief was playing the role of a "facilitator, not a mediator".

He distinguished the two roles by saying that a mediator would have the authority from opposition parties to create their own decision in light of their demands.

In short, PM Shehbaz meets President Zardari as Centre mulls imposition of emergency in is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.