PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – Pakistan has imposed governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after President Asif Ali Zardari approved the federal cabinet’s recommendation. The decision transfers control of provincial executive functions from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf administration to Governor Faisal Karim Kundi. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the cabinet meeting that endorsed the measure. Federal authorities cited worsening security conditions and problems with counterterrorism coordination. The northwestern province borders Afghanistan and has faced repeated militant attacks.
The government relied on Articles 232 and 234 of Pakistan’s Constitution for the intervention. Article 232 allows emergency measures when serious internal unrest threatens national or regional security. Article 234 permits federal action when a provincial government cannot function under constitutional requirements. Governor’s rule gives the governor authority over executive functions during the intervention. Parliament may also exercise powers normally held by the provincial legislature. The constitutional framework does not transfer judicial powers to the federal government.
Governor Kundi has assumed responsibility for provincial administration with assistance from an advisory council. The administration has assigned portfolios covering areas including finance, law, health, education and internal security. Federal authorities also appointed Dr Muhammad Fakhr Alam as the province’s chief secretary. Kundi urged residents to maintain public order and avoid violence during the transition. Security personnel increased deployments near major government buildings and sensitive locations in Peshawar after the measures took effect.
Federal government authorizes army support
Pakistan’s federal government also authorized army personnel and military assets to assist civilian authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Interior Ministry issued the authorization under Article 245 of the Constitution. The order covers the protection of residents, public property and key government installations during the emergency period. Provincial authorities will coordinate troop requirements with military officials. Police and other security agencies continue to support public order operations while the governor oversees the administration.
The intervention follows prolonged political tension between the federal government and PTI over security policy and other national disputes. Negotiations between the two sides collapsed earlier in October. PTI supporters later continued protests demanding the release of former prime minister Imran Khan. Khan has remained in prison since August 2023 and faces several criminal cases. PTI rejects the cases against its founder and has repeatedly called for his release.
PTI challenges removal of provincial administration
PTI leaders condemned governor’s rule and accused the federal authorities of overriding the province’s elected government. Party chairman Gohar Ali Khan said reducing provincial autonomy would not resolve Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s security problems. Senior PTI figure Zulfiqar Bukhari also criticized the federal intervention. Former Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had opposed emergency measures before the cabinet approved them. PTI has rejected federal criticism of its counterterrorism policies and disputes claims that its administration failed to cooperate.
President Zardari approved the measures after receiving the cabinet recommendation from Prime Minister Sharif’s government. Federal officials based their decision on security reports, political developments and concerns about coordination with the provincial administration. Governor Kundi now directs provincial executive affairs under the constitutional arrangement. The army authorization remains linked to the emergency and governor’s rule framework. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will continue operating under the governor-led administration while the federal measures remain in force.