PTI's Ali Zafar terms governor's rule in KP 'political crisis disguised as security solution'; ministers defend move

PTI's Ali Zafar terms governor's rule in KP 'political crisis disguised as security solution'; ministers defend move.

Key points

• News DeskSyed Irfan RazaAmir Wasim Published October 13, 2026 Updated October 13, 2026 11: 03pm.
• President Asif Ali Zardari had on Sunday issued proclamations of emergency and governor's rule under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, respectively.
• In the upper house, Senator Kamran Murtaza of the Jamiat Ulemai-I-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) had submitted a resolution on Monday opposing the imposition of governor's rule in KP.
• For his part, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi maintained that imposition of governor's rule and emergency in KP was not in violation of the Constitution.
• Similarly, Article 234 provided for extraordinary arrangements intended for extraordinary circumstances, he continued.

News DeskSyed Irfan RazaAmir Wasim Published October 13, 2026 Updated October 13, 2026 11: 03pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel.

ISLAMABAD: Treasury and opposition members in the Senate debated the governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday, with PTI's Barrister Ali Zafar terming the development a "political crisis disguised as a security solution" while federal ministers defended the move.

Notably, the Centre on Sunday imposed governor's rule in KP and emergency in 12 of its districts, citing the PTI-led provincial government's "deliberate disengagement" from the fight against terrorism. The proclamations now require Parliament's approval.

It was against this backdrop that National Assembly and Senate sessions were convened on Tuesday.

In the Senate, PTI's Parliamentary Leader in the Senate Barrister Ali Zafar remarked that what was happening in KP was not merely an administrative decision but a "test of Pakistan's Constitution".

"The Constitution must be our shield in a crisis, not a casualty of the crisis. The question is: are we using the Constitution to protect Pakistan, or are we using an emergency to change the political order of Pakistan?" he remarked.

Zafar remarked no political party or patriotic Pakistani wanted terrorism to flourish and that terrorism must be defeated with full strength. "But we must defeat terrorism without allowing the fight against terrorism to become a fight against constitutional democracy, " he remarked.

Referring to the constitutional provisions related to governor's rule and emergency, he remarked Article 232 was to be employed in the situation of emergency and not as a "political weapon".

"Their existence does not mean they could be exercised without limits. The administration must demonstrate that the constitutional conditions have genuinely been met, that the action is necessary and proportionate, and that every applicable procedure has been followed. The existence of an emergency power does not place its exercise above the Constitution, " he remarked.

Zafar further argued that the Centre could not simply declare that a provincial administration could no longer function constitutionally and treat that declaration as the end argument. The legal basis, evidence, scope and consequences must withstand scrutiny, and courts must remain free to determine legality, he asserted.

"If the government's case is that terrorism has created an extraordinary situation in particular districts, it must explain why its response extended to the entire province and what safeguards protected the rest, " he continued.

Meanwhile, the PTI alleged that "this is a political crisis disguised as a security solution", pointing to the timing of the measure that came against the backdrop of heightened political tensions and a breakdown of the dialogue between the administration and the opposition, including the PTI, in the Centre.

"You cannot restore public confidence by making people believe that their elected mandate can be taken away in the name of security, " he remarked.

Zafar remarked the problem concerned provincial autonomy, federalism, elected representation, fundamental rights and the balance between the federation and its units.

"Once extraordinary powers are normalised against one political opponent, no province and no party can assume it will never be the next one. Today it may be KP; tomorrow the precedent may be applied elsewhere, " he cautioned.

Calling on the Senate not to become a "rubber stamp", he remarked Parliament. It represented the federation and provided every province an equal voice, must examine legal grounds, demand evidence and scrutinise necessity and proportionality for the measures in KP.

You may control the administration, but you cannot command democratic legitimacy. You may suspend a administration, problem notifications and deploy the machinery of the state, but you cannot manufacture public trust by force.

"If emergency is genuinely regarding protecting citizens, prove it through lawful, targeted and accountable action. If it becomes an instrument to suppress an elected mandate, the damage will outlast this administration, " he stated.

Zafar continued, "The Constitution is not an obstacle to national security; it is the foundation of national security. Break that foundation in the name of protecting Pakistan, and you may win control for a day but you will weaken the state for years to come."

When emergency and governor's rule was imposed in KP, a "black day", ruing celebrations by the "champions of democracy over the removal of a democratic government elected with two-thirds majority", leader of the Opposition in Senate Raja Nasir Abbas termed Oct 11.

He maintained that an agreement between the Centre and the opposition had been reached on political problems, claiming that differences arose over linking security matters with political problems.

As well as the resolution of problems through dialogue, he cautioned that "unnecessary violence" created hatred against the state among youth and called on the immediate withdrawal of the imposition of governor's rule and emergency.

Political matters could have been resolved by giving more time to negotiations, he continued. Ministers defend governor's rule.

"The PML-N and PPP sat together and examined every clause to ensure that no provision was violated, " he remarked, adding that the decision was not an straightforward one.

He remarked negotiations between the Centre and the opposition had focused on terrorism from the first day.

Notably, the minister continued that the Centre had contacted the PTI leadership, including party Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, on Oct 10, asking him to suggest amendments in the draft that was to be signed between the two sides after the negotiations. "Had an agreement been reached, this step would not have been taken, " he remarked.

Naqvi remarked the administration created six amendments in the draft. It was sent to KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who has become non-functional as the provincial chief executive after the imposition of governor's rule. After which the matter was "sabotaged", the interior minister alleged that Afridi forwarded the draft to PTI leader Murad Saeed.

Referring to security situation in KP, he remarked law enforcement and security personnel were laying down their lives while the "chief minister was delivering speeches against them". He alleged that some in the PTI were in "contact with the Taliban and the Tehreek-I-Taliban Pakistan", adding that evidence of this would be presented when required.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar additionally spoke in the House, saying that the federal cabinet had "rightly decided" last week to end the process of political reconciliation with the PTI.

He stressed that the PPP and PML-N had both created efforts to reach a point of understanding with the PTI.

Regarding arguments that terrorism was additionally prevalent in Balochistan while emergency and governor's rule were only in KP, he highlighted that the Balochistan administration was "fully on board" with the Centre in fighting terrorism.

"Whatever has happened is according to the law and Constitution, " he contented. Parliament approval for governor's rule.

According to Article 232, in case the president "acts on his own" – which was not the case for KP as he acted on PM Shehbaz's advice – the proclamation of emergency is to be placed before both houses of Parliament for approval by each house within 10 days.

It additionally empowers Parliament "to make laws for a province, or any part thereof, with respect to any matter not enumerated in the Federal Legislative List" during emergency.

Meanwhile, a proclamation for governor's rule issued under Article 234 "shall be laid before a joint sitting and shall cease to be in force at the expiration of two months, unless before the expiration of that period it has been approved by resolution of the joint sitting and may by like resolution be extended for a further period not exceeding two months at a time".

In short, pTI' s Ali Zafar terms governor' s rule in KP ' political crisis disguised as is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.