Pakistan Imposes Emergency and Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Suspending PTI Government

President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday signed a proclamation imposing a state of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution. The decision followed a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that reviewed security reports showing an increase in attacks on security forces and civilians.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said Governor Faisal Karim Kundi will assume charge of the province with an 11-member advisory council. The arrangement is initially for six months. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated that the Pakistan Army will be deployed under Article 245 to assist civil authorities and protect public property.

The proclamation suspends the provincial government led by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Under Article 234 the president may assume control when a provincial government cannot function according to the Constitution. Article 232 allows the federal government to override conflicting provincial laws during an emergency.

The federal government has accused the PTI administration of deliberate disengagement from counter-terrorism operations. Attacks by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and affiliated groups have risen in the province that borders Afghanistan. Officials cited reports from security institutions and the breakdown of negotiations with the provincial leadership.

The move comes days after Afridi led a long march that began in Lakki Marwat on 4 October and moved through several districts. The march demanded the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and access to medical treatment for him. PTI leaders said Afridi and provincial party president Junaid Akbar were detained after the emergency was imposed. No large protests against the suspension were immediately reported.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the last province governed by PTI. The party has controlled it since 2013. The federal government and the military have repeatedly criticised the provincial administration for insufficient cooperation against militants. Interior officials described districts where residents avoid leaving their homes after dark.

Under the emergency the provincial assembly continues to sit, but federal laws take precedence where they conflict with provincial ones. The chief minister and ministers vacate their offices. The governor, who is a federal appointee, exercises executive powers with the advisory council.

The development escalates the political confrontation between the Sharif government and PTI. Supporters of Khan had planned further mobilisation toward Islamabad. Police detained several PTI workers overnight before the proclamation. The federal cabinet recommended the measures after reviewing the security situation and failed talks.

Constitutional lawyers note that emergency powers allow the centre to assume both executive and legislative functions in the province for the duration. The six-month period can be extended if the president determines that conditions require it. The army deployment is intended to support, not replace, civil administration.

PTI has described the action as an attempt to remove the party from its last remaining provincial government ahead of the planned march. Federal officials maintain that the deteriorating law-and-order situation and the provincial government’s inability to function left no alternative.

Further details on the composition of the advisory council and the precise scope of army assistance are expected in the coming days. Separate sessions of the National Assembly and Senate have been scheduled for 13 October to discuss the measures.