Asif Khawaja Praises NA Speaker for Upholding Assembly Dignity

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has condemned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for proposing direct negotiations with Afghanistan, labeling such remarks as an “attack” on the federation.

In his address to the National Assembly on Thursday, Asif asserted, “No province has the authority to engage in direct talks with a foreign country.” He criticized Gandapur’s statement as “poisonous” and a potential threat to national security.

Earlier that day, Gandapur had announced plans to send a delegation to Afghanistan to tackle the security issues affecting his province.

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“I announce that I will speak to Afghanistan myself, I will send a delegation, I will sit down with them and resolve the issue,” he said while addressing a gathering of bar council associations in Peshawar.

The defence minister questioned the KP chief minister’s authority to suggest negotiations with Afghanistan. He emphasised that the province should not engage in such discussions, highlighting a past era of “narrow-minded” governance that they do not wish to revisit.

In his speech, Asif commended the National Assembly (NA) Speaker for setting a “commendable precedent” in the House, aiming to uphold the assembly’s “dignity.” He pointed out that the opposition had previously struggled to have their voices heard.

Asif also reflected on the “tense atmosphere” during the PTI government, where the opposition allegedly felt sidelined. He noted that with PTI members now back in the assembly, it was an opportunity to address the “injustices” faced during Imran Khan’s tenure. Asif claimed that their right to representation had been unjustly restricted for years and called for a truthful recount of these events.

He recalled discussions surrounding Article 6 (high treason) of the Constitution, under which he was penalized during the PTI era. Asif asserted that he was uniquely targeted by this law.

While welcoming the returning PTI members, Asif reminded them of the difficulties faced by the opposition, including the treatment of leaders like Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, and Maryam Nawaz, as well as the “unjust detention” of Faryal Talpur. He emphasized the importance of following the parliamentary traditions set by the current NA Speaker, rejecting the practices of former Speaker Asad Qaiser. Asif recounted a past meeting at Qaiser’s residence that involved agents from four intelligence agencies, alleging that the Inter-Services Intelligence was present at many meetings during the PTI government.

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In other news, Khawaja Asif accused Gandapur of engaging in a “double game.” Meanwhile, Imran Khan reported that Gandapur was abducted and has had no further contact with the establishment.

PML-N leader Javed Latif vowed to confront Gandapur if a public uprising were to occur, stating that a response would be necessary if state resources were used against the state. He highlighted that internal threats posed greater risks than external ones, noting the presence of destabilizing elements.

In response, the Awami National Party (ANP) dismissed Gandapur’s remarks about negotiating with Afghanistan as “theatrics.” ANP lawmaker Mian Iftikhar criticized Gandapur for his alleged connections to terrorist groups and questioned his behavior, noting his tendency to make provocative statements only to later withdraw.

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