How many times has governor’s rule been imposed in KP?

PESHAWAR – President Asif Ali Zardari has imposed Governor’s Rule and declared an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the recommendation of the federal cabinet. The decision follows a report submitted by KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, transferring powers from the elected provincial government to the governor.

This is the fourth time Governor’s Rule has been imposed in the province’s history.

The first instance dates back to 1975, when the federal government led by former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto declared an emergency and imposed Governor’s Rule following the assassination of Hayat Muhammad Khan Sherpao in a bomb blast while he was delivering a speech at the University of Peshawar’s Department of History. The incident was followed by a ban on the National Awami Party (NAP), arrests and the imposition of Governor’s Rule in the province.

The second instance occurred in 1994, when the federal government led by then-prime minister Benazir Bhutto took action against the government of then-chief minister Pir Sabir Shah of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

During that period, Governor’s Rule was imposed amid a political crisis, and members of the provincial assembly were reportedly made to disappear. A no-confidence motion was subsequently moved against Pir Sabir Shah, paving the way for Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao to form the provincial government.

The third instance came in 1999, following the military coup led by former president General Pervez Musharraf against the PML-N government. The province was placed under the governor’s control, and then-governor Mian Gul Aurangzeb was replaced by Lieutenant General (retd) Muhammad Shafiq, who was assigned provincial administrative powers.

Later, Lieutenant General (retd) Syed Iftikhar Hussain was appointed governor. He administered the province with a cabinet of his own until the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) government was formed in November-December 2002.

Fourth imposition under PTI government

Governor’s Rule has now been imposed for the fourth time, suspending the provincial government led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi is expected to run the province’s affairs with an interim cabinet.

The latest move is notable because it also involves the declaration of an emergency in 12 districts under Article 232 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

The 12 districts include eight merged tribal districts — formerly part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) — namely Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram, Orakzai, Bajaur, North Waziristan, Upper South Waziristan and Lower South Waziristan.

The four other districts covered by the emergency are Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bannu and Lakki Marwat.

The emergency will be enforced fully in the Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan divisions and partially in the Peshawar, Kohat and Malakand divisions. The Hazara and Mardan divisions will remain exempt from the emergency.