Pakistan suspends province led by Imran Khan's party

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 11 Oct, 19:36 · Archive

Pakistan's president has placed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ruled by Imran Khan's PTI party, under emergency rule.

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday announced that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the northwestern province governed by Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, had been placed under emergency rule. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif proposed the suspension, which was justified under constitutional articles allowing the central government to confront security threats and assume sweeping powers during emergencies. The government claims regional authorities have not done enough to curb Islamist violence in the province.

The timing coincides with escalating anti-government protests by Khan's supporters. Last week, thousands began moving from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa towards Islamabad, with organisers calling for hundreds of thousands more to join demonstrations demanding Khan's release. Khan, a former cricket star and prime minister, has been imprisoned since August 2023 on corruption and treason charges. He also faces accusations of inciting violence following widespread protests in May 2023.

Khan was ousted from office in April 2022 after losing a no-confidence vote and denies all charges, describing them as a politically motivated effort to keep him from power. Despite his imprisonment, Khan maintains significant influence in Pakistan and remains a popular political figure. His supporters contend that the 2024 election returning Shehbaz Sharif to power was rigged, a claim the government denies.

How it is being reported

• Pakistan's president declares state of emergency in province run by Imran Khan's partyThe president of Pakistan has declared a state of emergency in the country's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.Sky News · 11 Oct, 14:48
• Pakistan: President puts Khan stronghold province under emergency rulePresident Asif Ali Zardari has effectively suspended the provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The northwestern state is an epicenter of support for former PM Imran Khan and run by his party.DW News · 11 Oct, 10:37

In this story: Asif Ali Zardari · Imran Khan · Shehbaz Sharif · Khyber Pakhtunkhwa · Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf · Islamabad · Pakistan

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem