Pakistan’s federal government declared a state of emergency in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, transferring certain provincial government functions to federal control. The announcement came on Tuesday in Islamabad, where Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar outlined the measures during a press briefing.

Under the emergency provisions, the provincial governor is to assume authority over the provincial administration, supported by an advisory council, for an initial period of six months. The federal government indicated this move was necessary to restore order amid ongoing political tensions.

Shortly after the declaration, tensions escalated as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Junaid Akbar announced the arrest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi along with the party’s provincial president. Both are key figures in the PTI, which holds power in the region.

Zulfikar Bukhari, a senior aide to former Prime Minister Imran Khan and PTI spokesman, criticized the decision, describing it as “ridiculous” and asserting that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had the country’s “only legitimately elected government.” He suggested the federal action would exacerbate instability and provoke violence rather than resolve the underlying political disputes.

Bukhari also emphasized that there had been opportunities for dialogue prior to the emergency declaration but accused the federal government of acting in bad faith by not engaging in meaningful negotiations.

The imposition of emergency rule raises questions about the balance of power between Pakistan’s central government and its provinces, a recurrent theme in the country’s political landscape. Officials have so far declined to provide further details regarding the legal basis for the emergency or steps to be taken to resolve the crisis. The situation remains fluid as opposition parties and civil society groups react to the federal government’s assertion of control over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.