PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – Pakistan has declared emergency measures and enacted governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following President Asif Ali Zardari approving the federal recommendations on Sunday. This decision effectively removes the provincial administration led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf from control of government functions. The federal cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, recommended this course of action. The government cited concerns over security and disagreements regarding counterterrorism coordination. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sharing borders with Afghanistan, has experienced multiple militant attacks.
The measures are based on Articles 232 and 234 of Pakistan’s Constitution. Article 232 pertains to emergency powers linked to serious threats to national or regional security. Meanwhile, Article 234 permits federal intervention when a provincial government cannot operate according to constitutional standards. Under governor’s rule, the provincial executive authority is transferred to the governor as per the constitutional framework. Parliament also has the authority to exercise powers typically held by the provincial assembly, whereas the courts remain outside these transferred powers.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has assumed control of the province, supported by an 11-member advisory council. The council convened its initial meeting after the emergency measures were implemented. Its members received portfolios covering 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 abide by the law and avoid violence or riots during this political transition period.
Deployment of Army Troops Authorized Under Article 245
Furthermore, Pakistan’s federal authorities approved the deployment of army personnel and military assets to support civilian authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Interior Ministry issued this directive under Article 245 of the Constitution. The deployment aims to safeguard lives, property, and government installations during the emergency. Kundi will determine troop and asset needs in consultation with the Military Operations Directorate at General Headquarters. Security forces, including police, have also heightened their presence at key government locations in Peshawar.
This emergency situation follows months of tension between the federal government and PTI, primarily over security policies and political demands. Negotiations between the two parties collapsed in early October. Subsequently, PTI supporters organized a protest march demanding the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. Khan has been detained since August 2023 and faces multiple criminal cases. PTI dismisses the charges against him and condemns federal intervention.
PTI Condemns Federal Action and Opposes Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Party leaders from PTI strongly criticized the emergency and 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 lead to peace. Senior PTI official Zulfiqar Bukhari also voiced opposition to the removal of the provincial administration. Before the decision, then-Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had publicly opposed any form of emergency or governor’s rule. PTI has also challenged federal criticism of its approach to counterterrorism, asserting that it was not adequately involved in security decision-making processes.
The federal government maintains that the move was approved by the cabinet, advised by the prime minister, and based on law and order reports. President Zardari signed the recommendation following the cabinet meeting led by Sharif. Officials link the intervention to ongoing security concerns and the breakdown of negotiations with PTI. The army deployment is directly tied to the declaration of emergency and the governor’s rule. Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to function under Governor Kundi and the advisory council established to oversee provincial affairs.