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Pakistan president imposes emergency in province ruled by ex-PM Imran Khan’s party
The federal government assumed control after talks collapsed and PTI supporters pressed on with protests demanding Imran Khan’s release.
On Sunday, President Asif Ali Zardari imposed a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, effectively suspending the provincial government and granting federal authorities sweeping administrative powers under two constitutional security articles.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's office justified the emergency by citing the "provincial government's deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism" following a cabinet review of the security situation.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023, fueling ongoing protests by his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf , as supporters recently marched in Khyber district demanding his release.
Police deployed today in Peshawar, blocking roads near the Red Zone as authorities braced for potential escalation following weeks of political tension and organized demonstrations across the province.
Khan remains in prison after more than three years, with supporters raising concerns about his deteriorating health, a detention that continues to fuel the standoff between the administration and PTI.
The president points to counter-terrorism, but that is not the only reason, because Imran Khan's supporters have ruled in the province so far, whose influence is too great for some.