Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed an 11-member committee to oversee governance and security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), following the federal government’s imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the opposition-controlled province, according to a media report on Tuesday.
The committee, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, was formed informally, with no official notification issued so far, Dawn newspaper reported, citing a source close to the prime minister.
The committee will monitor governance and security in the province daily, report to Sharif and coordinate with the new administrative setup to help it discharge its responsibilities, including on security matters, the report said.
The federal government imposed emergency rule on Sunday, accusing the provincial administration led by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of failing to tackle militancy in the province, which borders Afghanistan.
The move followed presidential approval of recommendations submitted by Sharif’s federal cabinet under Articles 232 and 234 of Pakistan’s Constitution, effectively stripping the provincial government of its powers and transferring control to the federal administration.
Sharif had earlier formed an 11-member KP Advisory Council, described as a cabinet for Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, to run the province’s affairs. Minister of State for Law, Barrister Aqeel, has said emergency and governor’s rule could extend beyond six months, depending on the security situation.
The takeover coincided with a PTI protest march led by former KP chief minister Sohail Afridi, demanding Khan’s release and access to medical treatment for him.
KP Information Minister Shafi Jan claimed that Afridi was taken into custody by security personnel shortly after the emergency decree. The federal administration also appointed Dr Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan as the province’s new chief secretary and transferred senior officer Muhammad Yahya Akhunzada to oversee operations.
Telecom sources reported that mobile networks and data services were restricted or shut down in selected urban areas. Police were deployed heavily, while shipping containers were placed along key access routes, particularly around Peshawar.
Imran Khan’s son condemns emergency rule
Imran Khan’s son Kasim Khan on Monday condemned the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule, accusing Army Chief Asim Munir of using terrorism as a pretext for another military operation in Pashtun areas.
In a post on X, Kasim linked the federal action to protests demanding his father’s release and accused the military leadership of seeking to retain power amid wider governance failures.
“Pakistan belongs to its people, not its military,” he said.
Kasim alleged that the emergency measures targeted his father’s political stronghold and risked further loss of life through military operations. He called for the restoration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s elected government and the release of Khan, detained family members, PTI representatives and other political prisoners.
He also urged the authorities to respect the public’s right to protest.
Dispute over counterterrorism policy
Islamabad has justified the takeover by accusing the PTI-led provincial administration of failing to act against militant threats and showing indifference to counterterrorism efforts. The federal government has also cited the deteriorating security situation and the collapse of negotiations with government delegations on October 3.
The PTI, meanwhile, has opposed military offensives in the province and maintained that it has been excluded from key security decisions.
The emergency measures mark a sharp escalation in tensions between Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led federal government and the PTI administration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The dispute centres on counterterrorism operations, negotiations with the Afghan Taliban and the province’s role in determining its security policy.
