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Shehbaz Govt Considers Governor's Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amid Deepening Crisis
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News18•01-10-2026, 15:11
Shehbaz Govt Considers Governor's Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amid Deepening Crisis
- •Pakistan's federal government is discussing imposing emergency measures or Governor's Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) due to a worsening law-and-order situation and the provincial government's planned October 4 march to Islamabad.
- •Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is consulting with coalition partners, including the Pakistan Peoples Party, and is expected to meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
- •Tensions have escalated between Islamabad and the PTI-led KP government over security, governance, and the proposed march, with Chief Minister Sohail Afridi refusing to back down from the protest.
- •Federal ministers have linked the possibility of extraordinary constitutional measures to the security situation and the provincial government's handling of the planned march, accusing KP of failing to tackle terrorism.
- •While some federal ministers initially ruled out Governor's Rule, the option is now openly discussed, with KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi warning against further deterioration and citing constitutional provisions for its imposition.
Key Questions Answered
The federal government is weighing emergency measures and Governor's Rule due to a worsening security situation, rising terrorism, and escalating tensions over the PTI-led provincial government's planned October 4 march to Islamabad.
Federal legal experts are examining Articles 232 and 234 of Pakistan's Constitution, where Article 232 deals with declaring an emergency and Article 234 addresses actions taken when a provincial constitutional machinery breaks down.
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has refused to back down from the October 4 protest, rejected federal criticism regarding terrorism, and argued that Islamabad needs to change its counterterrorism approach and consult the province.
