Islamabad: The last remaining government of jailed former Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was removed from power on Sunday as the Shehbaz Sharif government imposed an emergency and declared governor’s rule in the northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The emergency move, invoked under Articles 232 and 234 of Pakistan’s Constitution dealing with security, grants the federal government sweeping administrative powers over the province.
President Asif Ali Zardari approved the move in view of anti-government demonstrations by supporters of Imran and armed group violence.
Prime Minister Sharif, backed by Pakistan’s powerful military establishment under Asim Munir, accused the KP government of failing to tackle terrorism.
“If anyone takes the law into their own hands, we will deal with them with an iron hand,” KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said in a video statement.
The Presidential proclamation effectively removed the elected provincial administration from power, including Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and his council of ministers.
Samaa TV, citing social media posts by PTI leaders, reported that Afridi and his younger brother have been allegedly detained following the imposition of emergency rule.
The Sharif government appointed senior bureaucrat Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan as new chief secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
PTI described the emergency as an attack on the electoral mandate of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“Peace cannot be established, nor stability brought, by ignoring this mandate, weakening provincial autonomy, and creating conflict between the federation and the province,” PTI leader Barrister Gohar said.
Sohail had warned before emergency was imposed that he would not accept any “illegal move” to bring the province under federal control.
Addressing supporters in Mardan on Saturday, Sohal said the Pathan community in KP won’t be intimidated by threats, guns or bullets. He also indicated that the party’s march could be redirected towards Peshawar before proceeding to Islamabad, according to BBC Urdu.
Calling the emergency a “ridiculous” decision, PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari said: “This will only lead to further bloodshed, instability and collateral damage.”
