ISLAMABAD, July 3(Alliance News): The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday firmly rejected claims of conspiring to topple the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, calling the recent speculations around a no-confidence motion unfounded and misleading.
The political stir began after a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The meeting sparked rumours that the federal government was weighing options to oust KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur by aligning opposition parties in the province.
Addressing the growing speculation, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui appeared on Geo News morning show Geo Pakistan and clarified that the prime minister’s meeting with Governor Kundi was administrative in nature and not a political strategy session. “Labelling a routine meeting as a conspiracy is unjustified,” he said.
However, he added that while a no-confidence motion remains a constitutional tool—as demonstrated in the April 2022 ouster of PTI founder Imran Khan—it is not under discussion at any level of the party leadership.
“We will not resort to any such tactic that could destabilize the province or plunge it into a political crisis,” Siddiqui stressed.
According to official information, the prime minister had summoned Governor Kundi to receive a detailed briefing on the tragic Swat River incident, in which a number of tourists drowned following a sudden surge in water.
The PM expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and directed relevant authorities to enhance preparedness and capacity building in high-risk tourist areas.
The meeting was attended by senior cabinet members, including Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam, Minister for Public Affairs Rana Mobashar Iqbal, Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State for Power Abdul Rehman Kanju, and Special Assistant to the PM on Political Affairs Talha Burki.
In another appearance on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath, Rana Sanaullah also refuted allegations that the ruling alliance had discussed any plan with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman to bring down the Gandapur-led KP government.
“I was present in the meeting between the PM and Maulana Fazl on June 20. No such proposal was discussed,” he confirmed.
Meanwhile, tensions between the federal government and PTI continue to rise after the party announced it would launch a countrywide protest movement following the 10th of Muharram. The announcement came in the wake of the Supreme Court’s June 27 decision, which ruled that PTI was not eligible for reserved seats for women and minorities in parliament.
Government officials have cautioned the PTI against inciting unrest. “Peaceful protest is a democratic right, but no one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands,” said a senior government official. Rana Sanaullah also reiterated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had invited PTI to talks on several occasions, but the party repeatedly declined, choosing agitation over dialogue.
Amid the political commotion, the Awami National Party (ANP) also issued a firm denial of its involvement in any plan to oust the PTI-backed KP government or engage in political horse-trading.
In an interview with Geo News, ANP Central Spokesperson Engineer Ehsanullah Khan stated, “We are not part of any move to destabilize the provincial government. ANP’s democratic traditions do not allow undemocratic actions.”
He acknowledged that some political quarters may be interested in forming a joint opposition government in the province, but clarified that the recent meeting between ANP President Aimal Wali Khan and PM Shehbaz Sharif focused solely on broader national political matters, not provincial government changes.
As political temperatures continue to rise, multiple stakeholders across the board appear to be distancing themselves from controversial power plays, urging respect for democratic norms.
With PTI set to begin its protest campaign and opposition parties reaffirming their positions, all eyes remain fixed on how the political narrative unfolds in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the coming weeks.
