Zardari Imposes Emergency Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province

President Asif Ali Zardari declared a state of emergency and imposed governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 11, 2026, effectively suspending the provincial government led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The decision followed a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where officials cited a 195 percent increase in terrorist incidents between March 2024 and September 2026. The federal government accused the provincial administration of a "deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism" and failing to secure the border with Afghanistan.

Under the proclamation, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and provincial ministers were removed from office. Administrative power was transferred to Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, who is supported by an 11-member advisory council. The federal government also appointed Dr Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan as the new chief secretary and authorized the deployment of the Pakistan Army to maintain order. The emergency specifically targets 12 districts, including eight merged tribal regions.

The move coincides with a PTI-led long march toward Islamabad demanding the release of jailed founder Imran Khan. PTI leadership condemned the action as a "coup disguised as emergency," while Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan called it a "grave political mistake." Reports emerged that Sohail Afridi and other PTI leaders were detained, though the government has not officially confirmed all arrests. JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman also opposed the measure, describing it as an "ambush on democracy" and claiming the federal government reneged on mediation agreements to avoid the crisis.