Pakistan imposes emergency rule in province governed by jailed Imran Khan’s party

Pakistan has imposed a state of emergency in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The decision was made on Sunday under two constitutional articles related to security. This move effectively suspends the provincial government, currently led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the political party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is currently incarcerated.

President Asif Ali Zardari endorsed the cabinet's recommendations, which had met earlier in the day. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's office announced that the cabinet reviewed the situation and acknowledged the "deliberate disengagement of the provincial government from the fight against terrorism." Almost immediately following the announcement, PTI lawmaker Junaid Akbar reported that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, Sohail Afridi, and the party's president were arrested.

Governor of the province will assume control with an advisory council, as announced by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar during a press conference in Islamabad. This arrangement will initially last for six months. The decision comes as the PTI party is organizing a march in Islamabad to advocate for the release of Imran Khan, who has been in jail for over three years but remains popular nationwide.

The march was initially planned for September 27 but was postponed to October 4 to facilitate talks between the government and PTI leaders. The government, however, stated it would not permit the march to enter the capital.