Pakistan Declares Emergency and Suspends PTI-Led Provincial Government

Pakistan’s president declared a state of emergency on Sunday and suspended the provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The administration was led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The federal government said the provincial leadership had failed to deal with Islamist militancy in the region, which borders Afghanistan.

The move also brought in a new governor for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Suspending the provincial government and imposing emergency rule sharply intensified the political confrontation between PTI and Pakistan’s federal government, according to the source. No further details about the emergency measures or the new governor were provided in the report.

The decision comes amid an ongoing standoff involving Khan’s party and the national government. The report also notes that PTI supporters had gathered a week earlier, but the available text ends before giving the location or further information about that gathering. The stated reason for the emergency is the federal government’s concern over militancy in the province.