Islamabad, Oct 11: Pakistan on Sunday declared an emergency in the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province over the deteriorating law and order situation, bringing the provincial government led by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party to an end.
An emergency allows Pakistan’s federal government to assume key executive and legislative powers in a province during a security crisis or breakdown of constitutional governance.
President Asif Ali Zardari issued a proclamation under Articles 232(1) and 234(1) of the Constitution, citing rising terrorist attacks and a breakdown of constitutional machinery in the northwestern province, according to the presidential declaration. Under the proclamation, the chief minister, provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants and advocate general will immediately vacate their offices.
The move comes amid an ongoing protest march led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who is pressing for Imran Khan’s release and access to medical treatment for him. The march began in Lakki Marwat on October 4 and has passed through several districts of the province.
Afridi on Saturday vowed to continue peaceful protests and rejected military operations as a solution to the province’s problems. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party had initially planned to take the march to Islamabad for a sit-in, but the federal government said it would not allow protesters to enter the capital.
The presidential declaration on Sunday said the emergency was imposed in view of rising terrorist incidents and the grave law and order situation in the province.
“The extraordinary intensity of terrorist incidents poses serious threats to the lives and property of the public,” the declaration stated.
It cited an increase in attacks on government installations, infrastructure and law enforcement agencies, accusing the provincial government of failing to demonstrate the resolve and take the measures needed to curb terrorism and lawlessness.
The declaration said a report by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor had highlighted a breakdown of constitutional machinery and the provincial government’s inability to function in accordance with the Constitution.
Under the proclamation, the federal government may direct the provincial governor to assume all or some functions of the provincial government. The governor may also exercise powers of other provincial institutions and officials, including those of the Provincial Assembly, as directed by the federal government.
The powers of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly will be exercised by Parliament or under its authority, according to the declaration, which took effect immediately.
The federal cabinet endorsed the emergency proposal earlier on Sunday after a special meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review the worsening security situation.
The cabinet said the provincial government had deliberately disengaged from the fight against terrorism and recommended that the prime minister advise the president to impose an emergency.
“The Cabinet recommended that the Prime Minister advise the President to exercise his constitutional authority and impose an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution of Pakistan, given the gravity of the situation,” an official statement said.
Sources said the cabinet decided to pursue the move after exploring other options, including a last-ditch effort to engage the provincial government through mediation by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). The efforts failed to yield a breakthrough, they said.
Earlier, Sharif told the cabinet that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was not doing enough to tackle terrorism and called for decisive action.
“The KP government is not saying a word against militancy… It is time to take a decision as we have reached a moment of now or never,” he said.
Sharif said the law and order situation was deteriorating and accused the provincial government led by Khan’s party of failing to address the threat. He added that the federal government had provided at least PKR 800 billion to the province over the past 10 years to fight terrorism and improve security, but the situation had not improved.
The party’s key demands include an immediate meeting with Khan, access for his personal doctors, the release of his sisters and supporters arrested ahead of the protest, a proper medical check-up for his wife, Bushra Bibi, and hearings in their cases without interference.
Khan, the 73-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician, has been incarcerated at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi since 2023 and faces more than 100 cases, including corruption and charges related to inciting violence.
The long march followed the failure of two rounds of talks between Khan’s party and the federal government. The discussions broke down over the party’s demand for access to Khan before calling off the protest, while the government insisted that the demonstration be ended first.
The federal government had warned that protesters would not be allowed to enter Islamabad, where security was tightened and roads along the planned route blocked with shipping containers.
