Pakistan’s federal government on Sunday, October 11, 2026, declared a state of emergency in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, placing the region under federal authority. The Prime Minister’s office stated the decision was made in response to what it described as the “provincial government’s deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism.”
The province is governed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the political party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The declaration followed a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. In a statement released after the meeting, Sharif’s office confirmed that cabinet members had reviewed the security situation in the province and recommended the measure. President Asif Ali Zardari later announced via a social media post that he had approved the cabinet’s recommendation.
The state of emergency was invoked under two articles of the country’s constitution related to security. The action effectively suspends the authority of the provincially elected PTI government.
The federal government’s decision was announced as the PTI party has been preparing for a march on Islamabad. The stated goal of the planned demonstration is to demand the release of Khan, who has been imprisoned for more than three years.
Official statements have not directly linked the emergency declaration to the planned protest. The reason provided by the Prime Minister’s office focused entirely on security matters within the province. No official statement has been released by the PTI-led provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in response to the declaration.
