Governor’s Rule Is the Last Option, We Are Trying to Avoid It: Khawaja Asif

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said there is no legal or constitutional obstacle to imposing governor’s rule, but the government is trying to avoid resorting to what he described as a last option.

Speaking in an interview with a private television channel, Asif said the federal capital could not be left “at the mercy of the PTI.”

He said the government would not allow the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), allegedly acting in coordination with the Taliban, to march on Islamabad, stressing that protecting the capital was the government’s responsibility.

Regarding the political consequences of imposing governor’s rule, the defence minister said it would be for time to determine whether the PTI would emerge as a “political martyr.”

“If someone wants to dismantle the country for the sake of one person’s happiness, that is not acceptable,” Asif said.