Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan): Pakistan’s federal government has taken control of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the northwestern province governed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), after President Asif Ali Zardari approved emergency measures and governor’s rule on October 11.
The decision ends the provincial administration’s existing authority and transfers its executive powers to Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, who will be assisted by an 11-member advisory council. Pakistan’s Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the arrangement would initially remain in place for six months.
The federal government has justified the intervention by pointing to militant attacks and accusing the PTI-led administration of failing to cooperate adequately in counterterrorism efforts. PTI has rejected the move, describing it as an attack on its electoral mandate and provincial autonomy.
Why Has Pakistan Imposed Emergency Rule In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
The move followed a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which reviewed the security situation in the province and recommended invoking constitutional emergency provisions.
The government cited Articles 232 and 234 of Pakistan’s Constitution. Article 232 deals with the proclamation of an emergency, while Article 234 provides for intervention when a provincial government is considered unable to function in accordance with the Constitution.
According to the federal government, the PTI administration had disengaged from the fight against terrorism and failed to coordinate effectively with Islamabad. The authorities also pointed to the breakdown of discussions between federal officials and provincial leaders over security.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa shares a border with Afghanistan and has faced repeated attacks by militant groups, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban.
The federal government’s allegations against the provincial administration remain contested, with PTI arguing that the intervention undermines the authority of an elected government.
What Happens To Imran Khan’s PTI Government Now?
Under the new arrangement, the chief minister and provincial cabinet have ceased to exercise their previous executive powers. The governor will oversee provincial administration with assistance from the advisory council.
The change is politically significant because Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been a major stronghold for PTI, the party led by Imran Khan, who has been in prison since 2023.
The federal authorities have also announced a separate administrative arrangement for 12 districts of the province, which will be overseen directly by the federation, according to the state broadcaster Radio Pakistan.
The move places the province’s administration under federal control at a time when the confrontation between PTI and the government led by Sharif has intensified.
How Has PTI Reacted To The Emergency Declaration?
PTI has opposed the decision, arguing that the federal government is using security concerns to weaken its political position.
Party spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari described the emergency as a “disguised coup”, warning that the action could deepen instability rather than resolve the crisis. PTI leaders have also maintained that the provincial government has a democratic mandate and that the federal government should address security concerns without taking over its administration.
The emergency was announced amid a PTI-led protest march demanding Khan’s release. The march, led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, had already heightened tensions between the provincial and federal governments.
The federal authorities had been preparing to prevent protesters from entering Islamabad, setting up roadblocks and placing shipping containers along key routes. Following the announcement, containers were also positioned around parts of Peshawar.
Will The Pakistan Emergency Lead To More Political Unrest?
The immediate challenge for the federal administration will be to manage security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while dealing with opposition to the suspension of the PTI government.
The authorities say the intervention is necessary to address militancy and improve coordination. PTI, however, maintains that the decision threatens provincial autonomy and could intensify the political confrontation.
The coming days will be crucial in determining how the new administrative arrangement functions, whether PTI pursues legal or political challenges, and whether the planned protests over Khan’s imprisonment continue.
For now, the emergency has turned an already strained relationship between Islamabad and the PTI-led province into a direct contest over security, constitutional authority and the future of provincial governance.
