ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have decided to seek federal cabinet approval for the imposition of a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), it is learnt.
According to sources, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has convened a meeting of the federal cabinet on Sunday to seek its approval for imposing the state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in view of the prevailing security situation, law and order challenges, and terrorist activities in the province.
Under the proposed procedure, the prime minister will forward a summary to the President after obtaining the federal cabinet’s approval. The President may then issue a proclamation of emergency, subject to the applicable constitutional requirements.
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Sources said President Asif Ali Zardari, on the advice of the prime minister, had summoned separate sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate for Tuesday, October 13, to discuss the proposed imposition of an emergency in KP and seek approval for it.
Article 232 of the Constitution of Pakistan deals with the proclamation of an emergency in cases of war, external aggression or internal disturbance beyond the power of a provincial government to control. Under the constitutional procedure, a proclamation issued by the President must be laid before both Houses of Parliament for approval within the prescribed period of 10 days.
Following approval by the National Assembly and the Senate, the matter may be considered at a joint sitting of Parliament in accordance with the applicable constitutional provisions within 30 days.
Under Article 232(7), a proclamation of emergency ceases to be effective after two months unless it is approved by a resolution of a joint sitting of Parliament before the expiry of that period. It may also cease to have effect if the joint sitting passes a resolution disapproving the proclamation by a majority of the total membership of both Houses.
Article 234 of the Constitution provides a separate mechanism for imposing an emergency in a province where the President, upon receiving a report from the governor, is satisfied that the provincial government cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution.
Article 234(1) states: “If the President, on receipt of a report from the Governor of a Province, is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the Government of the Province cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, the President may, or if a resolution in this behalf is passed [by each House separately] shall, by Proclamation.”
According to Article 234, the President may act on the basis of a report from the provincial governor, subject to the constitutional conditions governing such a proclamation.
According to a press release issued by the media wing of the Presidency, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency on Saturday and discussed the country’s overall political and security situation.
The prime minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Senator Rana Sanaullah, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Federal Minister Senator Ahad Cheema.
Senator Sherry Rehman, Syed Naveed Qamar, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, and Dr. Asim assisted the President during the meeting.
It was agreed during the meeting that separate sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate would be convened on Tuesday, October 13.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026