Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has officially signed an advisory to impose emergency rule in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The decision, announced on Sunday via the president’s office on X, follows a formal request forwarded by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The move is grounded in Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
According to the official statement, the declaration was prompted by the prevailing law and order situation, reports from relevant institutions, and the ultimate failure of negotiations between government delegations and local stakeholders. Law and Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, speaking to Radio Pakistan, confirmed that the executive powers previously held by the chief minister have been transferred to the governor.
To manage the transition, an 11-member advisory council has been established to operate under the governor’s authority. Furthermore, a new secretariat has been created under the leadership of the governor and the chief secretary to oversee administrative affairs in 12 specific districts of the province that will now report directly to the federal government. Dawn reported that Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan has been appointed as the new chief secretary for the province, with his tenure effective immediately until further notice.
In addition to these administrative changes, Minister Tarar stated that the federal government has invoked Article 245 of the Constitution to deploy Pakistan Army troops. These forces are tasked with assisting the provincial governor in maintaining law and order. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which shares a border with Afghanistan, was previously governed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
