The Peshawar High Court (PHC) will hear petitions challenging the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 20.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and Advocate Salman Khan have filed separate petitions against the decisions. The petitions name the federal government, president, prime minister, KP governor and other relevant authorities as respondents.
Read more: PHC fixes petitions against governor rule and emergency in KP
Through its lawyer Ali Zaman, the PTI has asked the court to declare both measures unconstitutional and overturn them. The party argues that using terrorism to limit an elected provincial government’s authority amounts to discriminatory treatment.
The petition questions why authorities did not impose governor’s rule in Balochistan despite terrorist attacks and casualties. It also refers to the period from 2007 to 2015, when KP faced militancy. The party alleges that the current provincial government has faced unequal treatment.
The PTI supports counterterrorism operations and efforts to restore peace, but claims authorities are using security concerns to pressure its government politically. The petition also highlights the party’s two-thirds majority in KP following the 2024 general elections. It argues that governor’s rule must follow Article 234 of the Constitution, while emergency provisions must meet Article 232 requirements.
President Asif Ali Zardari approved the emergency proclamation on October 11, following advice from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The federal government cited worsening security conditions and concerns about the provincial government’s counterterrorism efforts. KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has taken charge of provincial administration with support from an 11-member technocratic advisory council.
On Thursday, Parliament approved the presidential proclamations concerning emergency and governor’s rule during a joint sitting. The session featured a heated debate between government and opposition lawmakers. The PHC hearing on October 20 will consider the PTI’s legal challenge to the measures.