ISLAMABAD (MNN); The National Assembly and Senate on Wednesday approved the federal government’s imposition of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while President Asif Ali Zardari summoned a joint sitting of Parliament for Thursday to consider the proclamation of governor’s rule in the province.
According to an official notification, the joint sitting will convene at 11am. National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has also issued production orders for PTI lawmakers Sanaullah Masti Khel and Dawar Kundi to ensure their attendance.
The federal government imposed governor’s rule and emergency in KP on Sunday, citing what it described as the provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from counterterrorism efforts. The move followed weeks of political tensions between the Centre and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which had announced a long march to Islamabad demanding the release of its jailed founder, Imran Khan.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry tabled the relevant motions in both Houses.
Senate approves resolution amid PTI walkout
The Senate approved the emergency resolution after a heated debate between government and opposition members. PTI senators staged a walkout in protest.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar defended the procedure, saying the resolution had been presented under Article 232 of the Constitution and in accordance with the Senate’s rules. He argued that the seven-day notice requirement did not apply in a case involving constitutional necessity.
Opposition senators challenged the government’s decision and questioned its motives. PTI Senator Humayun Mohmand alleged that the government had planned governor’s rule months earlier and that terrorism was being used as a pretext to target PTI.
PTI-backed Senator Hamid Khan described the negotiations between the Centre and opposition as an attempt to mislead the public. He also criticised the state of constitutional and judicial independence following the 26th Amendment.
Other PTI senators, including Mohsin Aziz and Zeeshan Khanzada, condemned the emergency, arguing that the people of KP had made significant sacrifices in the fight against terrorism. Aziz linked the province’s security challenges to unemployment, poverty and inadequate access to hospitals, clean water and education.
JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza objected that the opposition’s resolution against governor’s rule had not been included in the agenda and said lawmakers had not received all the relevant documents.
National Assembly endorses emergency
The National Assembly adopted the resolution by a majority vote after a debate led by Law Minister Tarar. The House approved the proclamation of emergency issued by the president on October 11 under Article 232 of the Constitution.
During the proceedings, federal ministers defended the measure, arguing that the deteriorating security situation in KP had become a threat to national security. Tarar cited official figures indicating that reported terrorist incidents in the province increased from 2,911 between 2021 and 2024 to 3,787 between October 15, 2025, and October 9, 2026.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended part of the session and exchanged a handshake with Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq recalled the October 3 negotiations between the government and opposition, praising both sides for their efforts to reach an agreement despite the eventual deadlock.
The speaker said the negotiating committees could be reconstituted if dialogue resumed and also acknowledged PTI’s concerns about the jail conditions of party founder Imran Khan.
Bilawal urges renewed dialogue
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari described the emergency as a difficult but constitutionally grounded decision. He blamed PTI for contributing to the political circumstances that led to the move, calling the party’s conduct a “political suicide attack” on its own provincial government.
Bilawal said negotiations had reportedly come close to an agreement, including a proposed joint commitment by the federal and KP governments to counter terrorism, but the process ultimately collapsed.
Despite criticising PTI, he urged the government and opposition to resume political dialogue and find a middle ground. He warned that emergency measures should remain temporary and stressed that defeating terrorism required a coordinated national effort.
PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan rejected the emergency, insisting that counterterrorism measures should be implemented under the National Action Plan. He questioned the detention of PTI lawmakers and family members of Imran Khan and called for the production of certain party legislators whom PTI says were taken into custody. He also welcomed Bilawal’s proposal to continue dialogue.
Ministers exchange accusations
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif criticised PTI’s past policies, including the previous government’s approach to the proposed return and resettlement of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan members. He urged the opposition to reflect on its record and accused PTI leaders of prioritising political confrontation over cooperation against terrorism.
MQM-P lawmaker Farooq Sattar backed the federal government’s decision, describing it as difficult but unavoidable. He urged PTI to openly condemn terrorism and questioned whether the KP government had taken sufficient action against terrorist networks.
Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai, meanwhile, challenged the ruling coalition’s mandate in the 2024 general elections and criticised the government’s position on terrorism.
The National Assembly session was adjourned until 11am on Friday, October 16. Parliament’s joint sitting is scheduled for Thursday to consider the governor’s rule proclamation.
