Centre takes K-P's reins

The federal government took control of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's (K-P) affairs on Sunday after imposing an emergency and governor's rule in the province, deploying the army to assist the civil administration, forming an 11-member advisory council and establishing a special administrative structure for 12 districts.

Meanwhile, roadblocks sealed key areas of Peshawar, public transport was suspended, educational institutions were ordered closed and matriculation examinations postponed, while police arrested dozens of PTI workers in Swabi amid unconfirmed claims that former chief minister Sohail Afridi and provincial party president Junaid Akbar had also been detained.

President Asif Ali Zardari imposed the emergency under Article 232 of the Constitution, citing escalating terrorist attacks, threats to citizens' lives and property, and attacks on government installations, infrastructure and law-enforcement personnel.

The proclamation said the provincial government had failed to take adequate measures against terrorism and referred to the governor's report highlighting a breakdown in the constitutional system.

Issued under Articles 232(1) and 234(1), the proclamation declared that the provincial government could not function in accordance with the Constitution under the prevailing circumstances. It empowered the federal government to direct the governor to assume some or all provincial government functions, while the powers of the provincial assembly would be exercised by Parliament or under its authority.

The chief minister, provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants and advocate general ceased to hold office with immediate effect. The federal government subsequently authorised the deployment of Pakistan Army troops and assets under Article 245 to protect citizens, property and government installations for the duration of the emergency proclamation.

Under the deployment order, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi will determine the number of troops and resources required. The federal government also constituted an 11-member advisory council to assist the governor in administering the province.

Its members are Tariq Mahmood Pasha, Dr Amir Abdullah, Lieutenant General (retd) Nigar Johar, Samar Bilour, Dr Sarfaraz Ali, Aamir Javed, Dr M Irshad, Kifayatullah, Tayyab Qureshi, Usman Saifullah Khan and Asif Rafiq. Sanaullah Advocate was appointed the provincial advocate general.

The council held its first meeting at the Governor House under Governor Kundi's chairmanship. Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed briefed members on the law and order situation, while the governor acknowledged the challenges facing the administration and called for responsible and timely decisions.

Kundi said corruption would not be tolerated and stressed that the administration would focus on restoring peace, security, stability and development. He said strengthening the police and Counter-Terrorism Department would be a priority, alongside dismantling the wider support systems sustaining terrorism, including facilitation, financing, recruitment, extremist networks, illegal weapons, drugs and unlawful movement.

The governor also called for effective implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) and other counterterrorism measures. He said the province had paid a heavy price for terrorism, with police personnel, soldiers, Levies personnel, government employees, religious scholars, teachers, traders and ordinary citizens among those killed.

Later, a special security meeting chaired by Kundi reviewed terrorist threats and the overall security situation. The chief secretary, police chief, members of the advisory council, officials dealing with tribal and home affairs, senior police and CTD officers, and intelligence representatives attended. Participants were briefed that conditions across the province remained peaceful and normal following the emergency's imposition.

The meeting pledged to strengthen law enforcement agencies and improve their operational capacity, while the governor said he and his council would remain available to support the police and security forces.

In another administrative move, the federal government ordered the immediate establishment of an Area Development Secretariat (ADS) to oversee law and order, public safety, governance and development in 12 designated districts: Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan, South Waziristan Upper and South Waziristan.

The ADS will operate under an Area Representative and Development Council headed by the additional chief secretary, who will also serve as administrator for the designated districts. The administrator will exercise powers over administration, security, law enforcement and development, issue directions to civil administration, police and military officials, supervise departments and order the allocation or transfer of funds.

Provincial officers and personnel in the designated districts will fall under the secretariat's administrative and operational control. The new arrangement is intended to coordinate federal departments, the armed forces and provincial institutions in implementing measures concerning security, economic stability, relief and the provision of basic services.

The federal government also appointed Dr Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan as K-P chief secretary with immediate effect. The grade-22 Pakistan Administrative Service officer, who belongs to Mardan, previously served as secretary of the Power Division. The services of grade-20 officer Muhammad Yahya Akhunzada were also placed at the disposal of the provincial government.

Security restrictions meanwhile brought much of Peshawar's Cantonment and adjoining areas to a standstill. Containers blocked major roads leading to the Provincial Assembly, Governor House, Khyber Road and other government installations, while markets in Saddar and surrounding commercial areas remained closed or partially open. TransPeshawar suspended Bus Rapid Transit services, and authorities reported the closure of educational institutions in Peshawar district on Monday.

All educational boards across K-P also postponed matriculation examinations scheduled for October 12 until further notice. The examinations had initially been scheduled to begin on October 7 before being deferred to October 12 amid the PTI's long march.

Police began detaining PTI workers in Swabi after the emergency was imposed, with police sources putting the number arrested at 59. PTI claimed that Afridi and Junaid Akbar had also been arrested, but the administration had not confirmed their detention.

The emergency followed an increasingly strained relationship between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration, particularly over counterterrorism policy and engagement with the Afghan Taliban. The two sides' differences had contributed to the breakdown of talks on October 3, while PTI maintained that it had been excluded from security decisions affecting the province.