The government of Pakistan, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, declares an emergency and terminates the reign of Imran Khan’s party.

Following the declaration of a state of emergency on Sunday, the president of Pakistan suspended the government of a province controlled by the party of imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan, depriving its elected administration of its authority, according to his office.

The administration of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which controls the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, are at odds over the decision. Khan’s party has been holding rallies for a few days to put pressure on the government to free him, and its members have threatened to march on Islamabad, the country’s capital, in the near future.

In response to a federal cabinet decision, President Asif Ali Zardari endorsed Sharif’s recommendation to impose a state of emergency, according to a statement from his office. According to a statement from Sharif’s office, the advice claimed that the provincial government had failed to combat Islamist militancy.

The president’s office did not explain how the province would be run, although the constitution permits the federal government to assume some or all provincial government tasks in an emergency. PTI spokesperson and close Khan aide Zulfikar Bukhari described it as a “stupid judgment” and claimed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had the “sole legally elected government” in the nation.

“This will only lead to further bloodshed, instability and collateral damage,” he said, adding that there had always been room for talks but the decision showed negotiations were never the government’s intention.

Pakistan opposition parties and a lawyers’ body on Sunday strongly condemned the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, calling it a “grave political mistake” which the people would never accept.

PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said, “We completely reject this action. The mandate of the people of the KP is their constitutional and legal right. Peace cannot be established nor stability brought by ignoring this mandate, weakening provincial autonomy and creating conflict between the federation and the province.”

The ongoing protest march in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, led by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, demands the release of Imran Khan and access to medical treatment. Initiated on October 4, the march faced government resistance, prohibiting entry into Islamabad. In response to escalating terrorist incidents, a presidential declaration imposed an emergency in the province, citing the provincial government’s failure to combat terrorism effectively.

The federal cabinet, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, supported the emergency, noting that significant financial aid had not improved security. Key demands from Khan’s party include immediate contact with Khan and medical allowances for his family. The march follows unsuccessful negotiations between the party and the federal government and has heightened security measures in the area.