Stories
Emergency in KPK Sparks Uproar: Terrorism Failure or Attack on Democracy in Pakistan?
- •Pakistan has imposed an emergency and governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province amid worsening security and failure to tackle terrorism.
- •Experts note that Pakistan's decades-old policy of harboring terrorist organizations has now backfired on its own internal security.
- •The federal government is facing severe criticism for undermining the elected provincial government and giving unchecked powers to the army.
- •Human rights concerns have grown due to mass arrests of opposition leaders, police crackdowns on protests, and media restrictions in KPK.
Key Questions Answered
President Asif Ali Zardari proclaimed an emergency under Article 232 and governor's rule under Article 234 following a deteriorating law and order situation and rising terrorist attacks. The federal government accused the PTI-led provincial administration of failing to effectively tackle rising militancy and experiencing a collapse in counterterrorism cooperation.
The Parliament of Pakistan overwhelmingly passed resolutions endorsing the emergency and governor's rule proclaimed in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. While opposition lawmakers criticized the move and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf members staged a walkout, the National Assembly and the Senate officially approved the federal government's constitutional intervention.
Following the emergency, the provincial government led by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party ceased to exist, causing Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, provincial ministers, and advisers to vacate their offices. Law enforcement launched sweeping crackdowns, detaining high-profile leaders including Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, assembly speaker Babar Saleem Swati, and MNA Junaid Akbar amidst violent clashes and protests.
