Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has kept its existing organisational setup in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with Junaid Akbar Khan continuing as the provincial president. The party is adjusting to political changes that followed the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province. The decision was outlined in a statement shared on X on Saturday by party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan.
Akbar’s whereabouts have been unknown since the emergency and governor’s rule were introduced. PTI says he was arrested along with other party leaders, but the authorities have not publicly confirmed where he is. The Peshawar High Court has asked the relevant authorities to respond to petitions seeking his recovery.
Akbar’s warning before the planned Islamabad march
The episode follows a tense period for the party. In September, as PTI prepared for a planned march towards Islamabad, Akbar warned the government against using force against protesters. Addressing a gathering in Peshawar on September 20, he said: “We will turn Islamabad into Somnath.”
Also read: Peshawar court bars arrest of KP deputy speaker Suriya Bibi
Duties reassigned while Akbar is absent
According to the statement, Senator Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, the party’s provincial senior vice-president, will preside over provincial cabinet meetings in Akbar’s absence. The step is taken in line with the PTI constitution. The notification says the provincial organisation will keep functioning under Akbar’s presidency, while the designated office-bearers take on extra responsibilities.
Provincial general secretary Ali Asghar Khan will chair meetings when both Akbar and Qadri are unavailable. He has also been empowered to convene and chair meetings at other tiers of the provincial organisation. The statement adds that he will oversee administration, coordination and supervision across the party’s provincial tiers and wings, so that its policies, strategies and decisions are carried out. The notification also states that no changes will be made to the current organisational framework.
How governor’s rule reshaped the province’s government
The political and administrative order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa changed on October 11. President Asif Ali Zardari approved an emergency under Article 232 and governor’s rule under Article 234 of the Constitution, acting on a recommendation from the federal cabinet. The Centre cited a deteriorating security situation and what it described as inadequate cooperation from the PTI-led provincial government on counterterrorism.
Former chief minister Sohail Afridi, his cabinet and his advisers ceased to hold office, and executive authority passed to Governor Faisal Karim Kundi. PTI rejected the federal government’s justification for the measures and has challenged the emergency and governor’s rule in court. Before the measures were imposed, Afridi had argued that more resources for police alone would not end militancy without a change in counterterrorism policy.
The federal government then set up an 11-member advisory council and a separate administrative structure for 12 districts affected by terrorism. The National Assembly and Senate endorsed the measures on October 14. A day later, a joint sitting of Parliament approved the resolution by 214 votes to 56, amid protests from the opposition. On October 17, the federal government appointed 48 members to a Regional Representative and Development Council covering the 12 designated districts, following consultations with jirgas.
