Islamabad, Oct 14 The Parliament of Pakistan on Wednesday passed resolutions endorsing the emergency imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, days after the federal government dismissed the provincial government led by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party.
President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday proclaimed an emergency under Article 232 and imposed governor’s rule under Article 234 of the Constitution, with the federal government accusing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial administration of failing to effectively tackle rising militancy.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry tabled the motions regarding the proclamation of emergency before both Houses of Parliament.
The National Assembly (NA) adopted the resolution by a majority vote following a discussion opened by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.
“The National Assembly approves the Proclamation of Emergency issued by the President on the 11th October, 2026 in the Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the second proviso of clause (1) of Article 232 of the Constitution,” the NA said in a post on X.
Under Article 232, if the president acts on his own, a proclamation of emergency must be placed before both Houses of Parliament for approval within 10 days.
Following the NA vote, the Senate also passed the resolution. Opposition lawmakers criticised the emergency, while PTI members staged a walkout.
The resolutions, however, amount to parliamentary endorsement of the emergency proclamation under Article 232. The proclamation relating to governor’s rule under Article 234 must be placed before a joint sitting of Parliament and ceases to operate after two months unless the joint sitting approves its continuation.
Such a proclamation cannot remain in force for more than six months.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended part of the National Assembly session, with pictures released by the House showing him shaking hands with Leader of the Opposition Mehmood Khan Achakzai.
During the debate, federal ministers defended the decision, accusing the former PTI-led provincial government of lacking the will to effectively combat terrorism.
Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the federal government had tried its best to “engage the opposition so this step did not have to be taken”.
“They will have to accept, even if not publicly, but the responsible leadership of the opposition knows that the PTI itself carried out a political suicide attack on its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government,” he said.
However, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan rejected the imposition of the emergency and dismissed allegations that his party’s provincial government had failed to do enough to combat terrorism.
(PTI News)
