According to reports, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari declared an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government. The move also resulted in the suspension of the PTI-led provincial government. The army has been called into the province, and former political leaders are being taken into custody in large numbers. Former provincial chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur has reportedly been placed under house arrest at his residence.
The action comes after the PTI organised rallies over the past several days to build pressure for Imran Khan’s release. The party has also warned that it could march towards the national capital, Islamabad, in the coming days.
Reacting to the emergency, PTI spokesperson Zulfiqar Bukhari said, “This is nothing less than a coup disguised as an emergency.” He warned that the decision could lead to further bloodshed and instability in the country.
Ahead of the proposed march, authorities have detained three of Imran Khan’s sisters and hundreds of party workers. A close aide to the former prime minister said that restrictions had also been imposed on the movement of PTI Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
According to officials from the Interior Ministry, major highways have been blocked with shipping containers to prevent protesters from reaching Parliament. Thousands of security personnel have also been deployed as authorities prepare for the planned demonstrations.
The emergency comes amid an ongoing dispute between Shehbaz Sharif’s federal government, the military and the PTI-led provincial administration over security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The federal government and the army have accused the provincial government of failing to rein in terrorists. The PTI has rejected these allegations, arguing that the Centre has failed to provide adequate funds to the province.
The party has accused Islamabad of attempting to undermine the elected mandate of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. PTI leaders maintain that sidelining elected representatives will not restore security and have alleged that the federal government is using the fight against terrorism to weaken the party’s political position.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has ordered the deployment of the army in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which shares a border with Afghanistan. The Pakistani military has been engaged in an ongoing conflict with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in the region.
The PTI has reiterated that the Centre cannot restore security by marginalising elected representatives. Party leaders have also accused Islamabad of exploiting counterterrorism operations to weaken their political standing. Bukhari again described the emergency as a conspiracy to stage a coup under the cover of emergency rule.
With the army deployed, highways blocked and party leaders and workers detained ahead of the proposed march towards Islamabad, the confrontation has intensified the political standoff between the federal government and the PTI-led administration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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