Governor’s rule and an emergency have been imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to maintain law and order, following approval from President Asif Ali Zardari. The president signed the summary under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, acting on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The official proclamation was issued from Islamabad and sets out the reasons for the constitutional measures. Officials described the step as a response to a serious emergency in the province.
Rising militant attacks cited as main grounds
The proclamation pointed to an extraordinary rise in terrorist incidents and serious security threats. It said attacks on government installations and law enforcement agencies had grown, creating significant risks to security and public order.
According to the document, the provincial government had not taken adequate steps to tackle terrorism and lawlessness. It also referred to a report submitted by the governor, which reportedly pointed to disruptions in the constitutional system.
Governor’s report questions functioning of provincial government
The governor’s report reportedly alleged that the provincial government was not operating in line with the Constitution. The proclamation did not present these claims as established findings beyond what the report stated.
Zardari considered immediate constitutional action necessary, the proclamation said. The official statement added that the provincial government cannot be run in accordance with the Constitution under the prevailing circumstances.
