Pakistan imposes emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ​province

What the report says

Pakistan has imposed a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the northwestern province governed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. According to Al Jazeera, the measure was announced on Sunday under constitutional provisions related to security and is intended to allow the federal government to assume some or all provincial functions.

President Asif Ali Zardari said he approved the cabinet’s recommendation after a meeting led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. A government statement said ministers reviewed the security situation and cited what it described as the provincial government’s failure to fully engage in the fight against terrorism. Al Jazeera noted that the presidency did not specify how the province would be administered under the emergency rule.

The move comes amid heightened political tension over PTI plans for a march toward Islamabad to press for Khan’s release. The party has repeatedly mobilized supporters despite restrictions, while the government has said it will not allow the demonstration to enter the capital and has placed barriers on main access routes. Al Jazeera also reported that a PTI lawmaker said the province’s chief minister, Sohail Afridi, and another party figure were arrested shortly after the announcement.

The decision is significant because it effectively sidelines a provincial government run by Khan’s party and could deepen the standoff between the federal authorities and PTI at a time of continued unrest and security concerns.