Power Shift in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as PTI Government’s Functions Suspended

International Desk | PNN

Pakistan’s federal government has taken control of the provincial administration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, governed by former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), after declaring a state of emergency. The decision has suspended the authority of the elected provincial government. The PTI has also reported that several of its leaders, including provincial Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, have been detained.

On Sunday (October 11), Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari declared the state of emergency on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The federal government said terrorism and deteriorating law and order had created a serious situation in the province, while the provincial administration had failed to govern in accordance with the constitutional framework.

Pakistan’s Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the measure was taken to combat terrorism, maintain law and order, and protect ordinary citizens from the threat of violence. The federal government also accused the PTI administration of having links with armed groups, although detailed public evidence supporting the allegations has not yet been presented.

Under the new arrangement, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi will assume responsibility for the provincial administration. Kundi is a leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), an ally of the federal government. The responsibilities of the provincial chief minister, ministers, advisers and other relevant officeholders have also been suspended. An 11-member advisory council is expected to assist the governor.

In addition, the federal government has established separate secretariats in 12 districts, including former tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. The government said the move was intended to strengthen security and administrative operations in those areas.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said additional funding and special monitoring were necessary in conflict-prone districts.

The PTI has strongly opposed the federal government’s decision. Party leaders argue that if the security situation has deteriorated in specific districts, imposing governor’s rule across the entire province is unjustified. PTI leader and former provincial finance minister Taimur Jhagra has defended the provincial government’s role in combating terrorism.

On Monday, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry confirmed that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had been detained. The PTI also claimed that provincial party president Junaid Akbar, provincial assembly Speaker Babar Swati and several other leaders had been detained. The party alleged that the government had not disclosed where they were being held.

Amid the situation, several educational institutions in Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi and Nowshera remained closed on Monday. Internet monitoring organisation NetBlocks also reported significant disruptions to internet connectivity in parts of the province.

The crisis intensified after talks between the federal government and the PTI collapsed over plans for a long march towards Islamabad demanding Imran Khan’s release. The PTI said it had not withdrawn its protest movement and would challenge the decision in court and in the legislature.

Under Pakistan’s Constitution, if a state of emergency is declared without approval from the provincial assembly, it must be presented to the National Assembly and Senate for approval within 10 days. In this case, the deadline is October 21. The matter must subsequently be presented at a joint parliamentary session.

Meanwhile, governor’s rule can be extended for a maximum of six months, subject to periodic parliamentary approval.

The duration of the emergency, how long federal control will remain in place, and how the courts respond to the PTI’s legal challenge have become major questions in Pakistan’s political landscape.