The federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has recommended imposing an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, citing the worsening law and order situation and rising terrorist attacks in the province.
During the meeting, cabinet members were briefed on the security situation in KP, including the increasing threat of terrorism and challenges faced by law enforcement agencies.
The cabinet reviewed the situation in detail and expressed serious concerns over what it described as the provincial government’s deliberate failure to take an active role in the fight against terrorism.
Following the discussion, the federal cabinet recommended that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advise President Asif Ali Zardari to use his constitutional powers to impose an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the official statement, the cabinet suggested taking action under Articles 232 and 234 of Pakistan’s Constitution due to the seriousness of the security situation.
The Prime Minister’s Office has sent the formal advice to the Presidency for further constitutional action.
However, the cabinet’s recommendation does not itself mean that an emergency has taken effect. A formal decision and the required constitutional steps are still necessary.
Under Article 232, an emergency can be declared in certain serious situations, while Article 234 deals with the failure of constitutional governance in a province.
The matter now rests with President Asif Ali Zardari, who will consider the advice sent by the Prime Minister’s Office.
