Pakistani Parliament Upholds Governor's Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Pakistani Parliament defended the imposition of emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to prevent bloodshed and combat terrorism.
The Pakistani Parliament approved resolutions to uphold the proclamations of emergency and Governor's Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which were issued by President Asif Ali Zardari on October 11, 2026. The move transferred executive authority to Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, suspending the provincial government led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, defended the intervention as a last resort to prevent bloodshed and instability. He claimed that 48 hours of negotiations to stop a PTI long march toward Islamabad collapsed after consultations with the provincial administration. Sharif alleged that the PTI government deliberately disengaged from counterterrorism efforts and maintained a nexus with terrorist groups, particularly regarding militant attacks originating from Afghanistan.
Supporting the decision, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif argued from London that the action should have been taken earlier to address deteriorating law and order. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi further characterized the emergency as a constitutional necessity, criticizing the PTI for prioritizing political mobilization over national security.
PTI has condemned the takeover as unconstitutional and politically motivated, challenging the move in the Peshawar High Court. Party leader Asad Qaiser has ruled out further negotiations with the federal government.
