Pakistan Declares Emergency, Suspends Provincial Government Ahead of Khan Supporters' March
President Zardari acts on Prime Minister Sharif's recommendation, citing the provincial administration's 'disengagement from the fight against terrorism.'
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari declared a state of emergency in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and suspended its government, which is led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party. The move, which comes ahead of a planned march by Khan's supporters demanding his release, places the province under the authority of the federal governor.
The decision was made on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Cabinet, according to a statement from the president’s office. The Cabinet had cited the provincial government's “deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism.”
Khan’s spokesperson, Zulfiquar Bukhari, condemned the suspension, calling it a disguised coup. He stated that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government held the only genuine popular mandate following the February 2024 parliamentary elections, which Khan’s party alleges were rigged.
Khan, Sharif’s main political rival, has been imprisoned since 2023 on charges he and his party maintain are politically motivated. Despite his incarceration, he commands a significant support base, influencing Pakistan's political landscape.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and the federal government held talks last week to postpone the march but failed to reach an agreement. Gohar Khan, the party chairman, indicated that negotiations remained deadlocked after two rounds.
Khan's party demanded his release, transfer to a hospital, and permission for family visits. The government maintains Khan is in good health and receives regular visits but insists that meetings cannot be used for political purposes.
Authorities deployed additional police and security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the capital, Islamabad, to prevent unrest. Shipping containers have been used since last month to block key routes in Islamabad, disrupting traffic and forcing detours for residents.
Political analyst Azeem Chaudhry noted that the emergency measures grant Governor Faisal Karim Kundi the powers of the provincial chief executive, effectively removing Khan’s party from power in the sole province it governed. The provincial assembly and the chief minister's Cabinet were also suspended.
Pakistan has experienced a rise in militant violence in recent years, largely attributed to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an allied group of the Afghan Taliban. Islamabad has accused Afghanistan's Taliban government of harboring TTP militants, a claim Kabul denies.