Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday suspended the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the last province ruled by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and declared a state of emergency over the deteriorating law-and-order situation. The president invoked Articles 232(1) and 234(1) of the Constitution, which permit the federal government to take over some or all of a province’s executive and legislative functions.

Terror attacks cited as the trigger

The presidential declaration said the extraordinary intensity of terrorist incidents posed serious threats to the lives and property of the public. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, has seen a string of militant attacks in recent months. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the situation was so grave that in some districts residents would not step out of their homes after dark.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told a press briefing in Islamabad that the provincial governor would take charge of the province with an advisory council, and that the arrangement was expected to remain in place for the next six months.

Afridi’s protest march and the political standoff

The federal government and the military have accused the government led by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi of failing to restrain Islamist militants in the province. The PTI has rejected the allegation, saying Islamabad failed to provide the province with the funding and equipment needed to combat militancy.

Afridi, who has long demanded the release of PTI founder Imran Khan and access to medical assistance for him, led a protest march in Lakki Marwat last week through several districts of the province. He and PTI supporters have been pressing the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to free Khan, threatening to march on Islamabad in the coming days.

What emergency rule means

Under the emergency provisions, federal authorities can assume some or all functions of the provincial government. For the province’s residents, the immediate consequence is rule by the governor and an advisory council instead of the elected provincial setup. The move deepens the confrontation between the federal government and a party whose leader remains in prison, and sets the stage for a fresh political battle over the future of the northwestern province.