Pakistan imposes emergency and governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, army to aid civil power

Why it matters

Pakistan's federal government on Sunday (Oct 11) imposed a state of emergency and governor's rule in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. President Asif Ali Zardari signed off on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the federal cabinet, invoking Articles 232 (emergency powers) and 234 (federal takeover when a provincial government cannot function per the Constitution), effective immediately. The PTI-led province borders Afghanistan and has faced repeated militant attacks.

Islamabad accused the provincial government of "deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism" as terrorist attacks and lawlessness worsened. The cabinet also authorised the army to be deployed "in aid of civil power"; shipping containers blocked roads in Peshawar amid a heavy police presence, and mobile and internet disruptions were reported in parts of the province. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi took charge with an 11-member technocratic advisory council, while Dr. Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan was appointed chief secretary.

The PTI rejected the move as an "unconstitutional assault on provincial autonomy and the public mandate," with chairman Barrister Gohar Khan announcing challenges in the courts, assemblies and public forums. Governor Kundi urged residents to follow the law and avoid violence.

Sources: TBS News (citing Dawn), Voice of Russia, October 12, 2026.