PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – Pakistan has implemented emergency measures and placed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under governor’s rule after President Asif Ali Zardari approved the federal recommendations on Sunday. This decision effectively removes the provincial administration led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf from control of government functions. The move was decided during a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, citing concerns over security and disagreements regarding counterterrorism coordination. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sharing borders with Afghanistan, has experienced numerous militant attacks.
The emergency measures are based on Articles 232 and 234 of Pakistan’s Constitution. Article 232 pertains to emergency powers in response to significant threats to national or regional security, while Article 234 authorizes federal intervention when a provincial government cannot operate according to constitutional standards. Under governor’s rule, authority shifts from the provincial government to the governor, following the constitutional framework. Parliament is also empowered to exercise functions typically managed by the provincial assembly, with courts remaining outside those transferred powers.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has assumed control of the province, supported by an 11-member advisory council. The council held its inaugural meeting following the enforcement of the emergency measures. Its members received 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 abide by the law and avoid violence or riots during this period of political transition.
Deployment of Army Troops Authorized Under Article 245
The federal government of Pakistan has also authorized the deployment of military personnel and assets to assist civilian authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Interior Ministry issued the directive under Article 245 of the Constitution, which permits the use of armed forces to protect lives, property, and government facilities during the state of emergency. Kundi will assess troop and resource requirements in consultation with the Military Operations Directorate at General Headquarters. Security personnel, including police, have increased their presence around key government locations in Peshawar.
This escalation 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, after which PTI supporters organized a protest march demanding the release of former prime minister Imran Khan, who has been detained since August 2023 on multiple criminal charges. PTI maintains that the cases against him are unjust and has condemned the federal intervention.
PTI Condemns Federal Actions and Opposes Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Leaders of PTI criticized the emergency declaration and the imposition of governor’s rule, asserting that these measures undermine the province’s elected authority. Party chairman Gohar Ali Khan stated that weakening provincial autonomy would not bring peace. Senior PTI figure Zulfiqar Bukhari also voiced opposition to 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 further challenged federal criticisms of its counterterrorism strategies, claiming it was not adequately involved in security decision-making processes.
The federal government maintains that the decision was made following cabinet approval, the prime minister’s advice, and security reports. President Zardari signed the recommendation after the cabinet meeting chaired by Sharif. Authorities link the intervention to ongoing security concerns and the collapse of negotiations with PTI. The military deployment remains connected to the declaration of emergency and governor’s rule, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to operate under Governor Kundi and the advisory council formed to oversee provincial affairs.