'No lesson learnt': KP emergency evokes grim October memories

'No lesson learnt': KP emergency evokes grim October memories.

Key points

• News Desk Published October 11, 2026 Updated October 11, 2026 11: 57pm.
• "Yet President Zardari has completed hat-trick of imposing governor's rule, " he remarked, recounting the previous two instances – in 2009 in Punjab and in 2013 in Balochistan.
• "Why October often bring 'bad news' for democracy from 1958 to 2026?" he posted on X.
• Journalist Shahzad Iqbal observed that PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had called emergency a "political atomic bomb".
• As the federal administration imposed emergency and governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sunday, Oct 11, evoked grim memories for plenty of in Pakistan.

Journalists, analysts warn the move could worsen the situation; some additionally see emergency as a "trap" for the Centre.

In practice, the cabinet was certain of the decision, but plenty of others cautioned against repeating what they saw as an "ill-advised step". Nevertheless, it happened, again.

After the PTI confirmed its long march to Islamabad to demand the release of its jailed founder, Imran Khan, the threat of emergency and governor's rule had been looming over the province for days. It materialised on Sunday.

It began with a federal cabinet session where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was briefed on the security situation in KP. It the Centre had earlier been linking with the need for emergency in the province.

Meanwhile, the cabinet reviewed the situation, took note of the "provincial government's deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism", and offered the nod to impose emergency and governor's rule in KP. A signature by President Asif Ali Zardari, and the decision was implemented shortly after.

Meanwhile, the development took veteran journalist Mazhar Abbas on a trip down memory lane, apparently a grim one.

"Saddest part is that each time one party or the other welcomed such moves. On Oct 12, 1999 when PM Nawaz was sacked, the PPP welcomed the move. Now, the PPP and PML-N agreed to obtain rid of the PTI KP administration. No lesson learnt, " he lamented. Former ambassador and analyst Maleeha Lodhi agreed.

"Really nothing learnt from history, " she too posted, replying to Abbas's comment.

Analyst Niaz Murtaza was more thorough in recounting the historical trend of what Abbas described as "bad news" from October.

"October is perhaps the worst month for democracy, " Murtaza commented, sharing a list of instances from history.

On the latest imposition of emergency in KP, he remarked the move was "deeply condemnable, unfortunate and ill-advised".

"The clearly illegitimate nature of the central administration makes it doubly so. This could create the situation in KP much more complicated, " he cautioned.

Others, too, cautioned against the move and its consequences. Among them was National Democratic Movement Chairperson Bushra Gohar. This person posted a warning the night before emergency was imposed.

"Emergency will further aggravate the already volatile political and security situation in Pakhtunkhwa. The province cannot afford yet another failed experiment after the disastrous pro-Taliban TTPTI administration – 13 years of incompetence, loot and plunder, death and devastation, " she posted on X on the night before emergency was imposed.

Instead, she continued, free, fair and credible elections were the only way forward.

Similarly, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan cautioned the federal administration and Parliament in an official note that declaring emergency or imposing governor's rule in KP risked further deepening of political tensions and undermining of democratic processes.

"We strongly urge the federal government and the PTI to resume a meaningful political dialogue immediately and ensure that citizens' fundamental rights are not suspended under any pretext, " the statement remarked.

According to Lawyer Rida Hosain, by imposing emergency, the federal administration has "undermined the democratic choice of the people of KP and its provincial autonomy".

"The authority of KP's elected institutions flows from the people's will, not from the dictates of the federal government, " she wrote on X.

In another post, she observed that Article 175(3) of the Constitution had been deemed inapplicable for the duration of the emergency.

"Article 175(3) mandates the separation of the judiciary from the executive. This paves the way for executive officers to perform judicial functions in these areas, " she explained.

Similarly, journalist Munizae Jahangir termed emergency and governor's rule a "spectacular failure of the politicians, the ruling party amd its allies".

While the opposition failed to negotiate a space for themselves where they could protect themselves and their citizens, they had set a "dangerous precedent and disenfranchised an entire province. The individuals of KP will now suffer the most, " she stated.

According to Lawyer Hassan Abdullah Niazi, throughout Pakistan's history, the "imposition of an emergency has rarely resulted in better governance or democracy".

"We have normalised the extraordinary; the denial of fundamental rights, " he contended.

He termed the decision "unconstitutional" and explained the reasons for his analysis in a series of posts on X.

"Article 234 (governor's rule) requires a demonstration that the constitutional machinery in a province has broken down. Nothing the administration has stated justifies this so far. The KP Assembly is working as is the cabinet, " Niazi explained.

He went on to caution that "such a move will further fragment national stability" and "creates a dangerous precedent where the federation can simply dismiss troublesome provincial governments over political differences".

Senior journalist Zarrar Khuhro remarked, "While this has particularly little to do with terrorism, will emergency stop the bleeding. You guessed it: no."

Journalist Ihsanullah Tipu Mehsud saw emergency as a move that "frees the PTI" and "traps the Centre".

Since "Islamabad owns security, PTI owns the narrative", he stated on X.

Former caretaker IT minister Umar Saif explained Mehsud's deduction in more detail, saying that imposing emergency in KP "comes with an enormous burden of responsibility".

It is not merely an exercise of authority; it is a commitment to fix what has gone wrong. The administration must now deliver. Failure will deepen public disillusionment, hand fresh ammunition to the naysayers, and discredit the particularly idea of reform.

"Reform demands clarity of intent, consistency of purpose, and the resolve to see it through. We have seen too plenty of initiatives falter midway, leaving behind resentment and eroding faith in the process, " he stated.

Meanwhile, journalist Shahzad Iqbal observed that PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had called emergency a "political atomic bomb".

"Yet President Zardari has completed hat-trick of imposing governor's rule, " he remarked, recounting the previous two instances – in 2009 in Punjab and in 2013 in Balochistan. "The irony is hard to miss, " he commented.

In short, ' No lesson learnt' : KP emergency evokes grim October memories is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.