Pakistan National Assembly passes a resolution approving the proclamation of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid heightened security concerns.
ISLAMABAD, October 14: Pakistan’s National Assembly adopted a resolution by majority vote on Wednesday to endorse the Proclamation of Emergency issued for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The motion regarding the presidential proclamation was tabled in the house by Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. The approval follows the federal cabinet’s evaluation of national security reports and internal disturbances in the province, prompting President Asif Ali Zardari to issue the emergency decree on October 11 upon the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Read also: President Zardari Approves Emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Opening the debate in Parliament, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar explained that the emergency measures were necessitated by a mounting threat to national security emanating from the province. Referring to constitutional requirements under Article 232, Tarar emphasized that parliament must review and endorse such proclamations. He cited severe internal disturbances, cross-border infiltrations, and an alarming deterioration of the security apparatus since late 2025 as driving factors behind the federal intervention.
Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal supported the move, stating that the federal government was forced to act due to the provincial administration’s failure to provide concrete assurances regarding effective counterterrorism operations. Iqbal stressed that national economic development and policy continuity require absolute stability and uncompromised security.
Parliamentary Debate and Political Reactions to the Emergency
The parliamentary session featured intense deliberations on the scope and implications of federal oversight in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari took the floor to defend the decision, arguing that the federal government exhausted all alternative avenues before resorting to the constitutional step.
Bhutto Zardari maintained that the leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) administration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bore responsibility for the conditions leading up to the emergency. He noted that the region has suffered disproportionately from terrorism and called for a unified, all-of-society approach to eliminate extremist elements.
Conversely, opposition members and PTI representatives have strongly condemned the invocation of emergency powers and the subsequent establishment of governor’s rule. Critics argue that the federal action is politically motivated, designed to sideline the regional administration, and intended to suppress ongoing political protests. The suspension of the provincial setup and reports involving the detention of regional political figures have further heightened political polarization in Islamabad and Peshawar.
Under the terms approved by the legislature, federal oversight will remain active to stabilize the law-and-order situation, coordinate anti-militancy operations, and protect strategic installations across the province. The National Assembly is scheduled to reconvene on Friday morning to address remaining legislative agenda items.
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