PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – Pakistan has declared a state of emergency and imposed governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following President Asif Ali Zardari approving federal suggestions on Sunday. This move transfers control from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led provincial government to the central authorities. The decision was made during a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, citing ongoing security issues and disagreements over counterterrorism coordination. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sharing a border with Afghanistan, has experienced multiple militant attacks.
The emergency measures are based on Articles 232 and 234 of Pakistan’s Constitution. While Article 232 addresses emergency powers related to serious threats to national or regional security, Article 234 permits federal intervention when a provincial government cannot operate according to constitutional provisions. Under governor’s rule, the provincial executive authority is transferred to the governor as per constitutional rules. The parliament can also assume powers typically held by the provincial assembly. Courts are excluded from these transferred authorities.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has assumed leadership of the province, supported by an advisory council of 11 members. The council convened its first session after the emergency measures were enacted. Members were assigned portfolios including home affairs, law, finance, industry, health, and education. Additionally, the federal government appointed Dr Muhammad Fakhr Alam as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief secretary. Kundi called on residents to adhere to the law and avoid violence or riots during this political transition.
Deployment of Army forces authorized under Article 245
The federal government has also authorized the deployment of army personnel and military resources to assist civilian authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This order was issued by the Interior Ministry under Article 245 of the Constitution. The deployment aims to safeguard lives, property, and government installations throughout the emergency period. Kundi will determine troop and asset requirements in consultation with the Military Operations Directorate at General Headquarters. Security personnel, including police, have increased their presence around key government sites in Peshawar.
The move follows months of tension between the federal government and PTI over security policies and political demands. Negotiations between the two sides collapsed in early October. Supporters of PTI then organized a protest march demanding the release of former prime minister Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023 and faces multiple criminal cases. PTI dismisses the cases and condemns the federal government’s intervention.
PTI condemns federal takeover in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
PTI leaders criticized the emergency and governor’s rule, asserting that such measures undermine the province’s elected authority. Party chairman Gohar Ali Khan stated that weakening provincial autonomy would not bring peace. Zulfiqar Bukhari, a senior PTI figure, also voiced opposition to the removal of the provincial administration. Before the decision, then-Chief Minister Sohail Afridi publicly opposed any form of emergency or governor’s rule. PTI has also challenged federal criticism of its counterterrorism strategies, claiming it lacked sufficient involvement in security decisions.
The federal authorities maintain that the action was approved by the cabinet, advised by the prime minister, and supported by law and order reports. President Zardari signed the recommendation following the cabinet meeting led by Sharif. Officials link the intervention to security concerns and the collapse of negotiations with PTI. The army’s deployment remains tied to the declaration of emergency and governor’s rule. Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to operate under Governor Kundi and the advisory council tasked with managing provincial affairs.