Pakistan Parliament Endorses Emergency Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amid Opposition Protest
Pakistan's Parliament endorsed on Thursday the federal government's decision to impose emergency and governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the northwestern province that was until now governed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The endorsement came at a joint sitting of the National Assembly and the Senate, the step required under the Constitution for governor's rule to remain in force beyond two months. Opposition lawmakers protested during the session, holding placards that read "Emergency na manzoor" (Emergency is unacceptable).
The Shehbaz Sharif government imposed emergency and governor's rule in the province on October 11, saying the provincial administration had disengaged from counterterrorism efforts at a time of rising militant violence. The move displaced the PTI-led provincial government.
It followed weeks of friction between the Centre and the PTI after the party announced a long march to Islamabad. The party demanded the release of its jailed founder, access to him in prison, and his transfer to a hospital where doctors of his choosing could examine him.
During Thursday's sitting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry moved a motion under Rule 232 of the Parliament (Joint Sitting) Rules, 1973, seeking the suspension of certain sub-rules. He then presented two resolutions — one on the proclamation of emergency under Article 232 of the Constitution and the other on governor's rule under Article 234. Both were passed after a debate involving treasury and opposition members, the National Assembly said in a statement.
The joint sitting followed separate sittings of the National Assembly and the Senate on Wednesday, when both Houses passed resolutions endorsing the imposition of emergency in the province. Those separate resolutions were not sufficient to approve governor's rule, which requires the endorsement of a joint sitting of Parliament.
Under Article 234, a proclamation of governor's rule ceases to be in force after two months unless approved by a joint sitting. It may be extended in periods of two months, subject to a maximum of six months. Under governor's rule, the elected provincial government is set aside and the province is administered by the governor, acting on behalf of the federal government.
Separately in Lahore, a resolution endorsing the federal intervention was submitted in the Punjab Assembly on Thursday by Rana Muhammad Arshad, chief whip of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The resolution cited deteriorating law and order, rising terrorism and the need to protect citizens' lives and property as grounds for the intervention.
It commended Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for placing national security and the state's writ above political considerations, and said the intervention rested on official data, reports from security agencies and ground realities. It stressed that any extraordinary measures needed to restore peace must be taken in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and expressed hope that they would curb terrorism, restore the writ of state institutions and bring lasting peace to the province. The resolution presented the intervention as a matter of collective national responsibility rather than a confrontation between rival political parties.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, has long faced militant violence, including attacks by the Pakistani Taliban, also known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The province has been a major centre of militant activity amid a wider deterioration in Pakistan's security situation.
Amnesty International has raised concerns over reports of arbitrary detentions of political leaders and internet disruptions in the province, issuing a statement on the matter on Monday.
