The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the federal government’s recommendation to impose an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the President’s House said Sunday, citing constitutional provisions related to emergency powers and provincial governance.
The decision followed a federal cabinet meeting chaired by
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during which officials reviewed the
deteriorating security situation in the northwestern province, according to a
statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
The cabinet recommended the measures under Articles 232 and
234 of Pakistan’s Constitution. The Prime Minister’s Office said the
recommendation was based on concerns over law and order and what the federal
government described as the provincial government’s detachment from efforts to
combat terrorism.
The federal government’s move comes amid persistent security
challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan and has experienced
repeated militant attacks.
The government has not provided further details in the
statements cited about how governor’s rule will be implemented, its duration or
the specific administrative changes expected to follow.
The decision is likely to have significant political
implications, as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is governed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
party, which has frequently clashed with the federal government.
Further details about the implementation of the emergency
measures and any response from the provincial government were not immediately
available.
