PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – Pakistan has declared a state of emergency and implemented governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following President Asif Ali Zardari‘s approval of federal recommendations on Sunday. This move effectively removes the provincial administration led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf from control of government operations. The decision was made during a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which recommended the extraordinary measure. The government cited ongoing security issues and disagreements over counterterrorism coordination as primary reasons. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sharing a border with Afghanistan, has experienced multiple militant attacks prompting this intervention.
The constitutional basis for these measures lies in Articles 232 and 234 of Pakistan’s Constitution. Article 232 authorizes emergency powers in response to serious threats to national or regional security, while Article 234 permits federal intervention if a provincial government is unable to operate according to constitutional provisions. Under the governor’s rule, authority shifts from the elected provincial government to the governor, following the constitutional framework. Additionally, parliament can exercise powers normally held by the provincial assembly, though the courts remain outside these transferred authorities.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has assumed control of the province, supported by an advisory council comprising 11 members. The council convened its first session after the emergency declaration. Members were assigned portfolios covering areas such as home affairs, law, finance, industry, health, and education. The federal administration also appointed Dr Muhammad Fakhr Alam as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s new chief secretary. Kundi called on residents to abide by the law and avoid violence or riots during this period of political transition.
Deployment of military forces authorized under Article 245
In addition, Pakistan’s federal authorities authorized the deployment of army personnel and military resources to assist civilian agencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Interior Ministry issued the directive under Article 245 of the Constitution. This deployment is intended to safeguard lives, property, and government installations throughout the emergency period. Kundi will coordinate troop and equipment requirements with the Military Operations Directorate at General Headquarters. Security personnel, including police, have also increased their presence around key government sites in Peshawar.
The decision to impose emergency measures follows months of escalating tension between the federal government and PTI over security policies and political demands. Negotiations between the two sides broke down in early October, after which PTI supporters launched a protest march demanding the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. Khan has been in prison since August 2023, facing multiple criminal cases, which PTI denies and condemns as politically motivated federal intervention.
PTI condemns federal takeover of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
PTI leaders strongly criticized the declaration of emergency and the implementation of governor’s rule, arguing that such measures undermine the province’s elected authority. Party chairman Gohar Ali Khan stated that weakening provincial autonomy would not bring peace. Senior PTI official Zulfiqar Bukhari also criticized the removal of the provincial administration. Prior to the decision, then-Chief Minister Sohail Afridi publicly opposed any form of emergency or governor’s rule. PTI has also challenged the federal government’s criticism of its counterterrorism efforts, asserting that it was not adequately involved in security decision-making processes.
The federal authorities maintain that the move was approved by the cabinet, advised by the prime minister, and supported by reports on law and order. President Zardari signed the recommendation following the cabinet meeting led by Sharif. Officials link the intervention directly to security threats and the collapse of negotiations with PTI. The army’s deployment remains contingent upon the continuation of the emergency and governor’s rule. Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is under the governance of Governor Kundi and the advisory council established to oversee provincial affairs during this period.