Govt. of Pakistan imposed emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) over terrorism, with Fakhr Alam Irfan named chief secretary, as PM Shehbaz Sharif accuses the provincial government of failure.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES.COM.PK
Decision takes effect immediately; Presidency says province can no longer be run under the Constitution
President Asif Ali Zardari has signed the summary imposing emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), sources said. The federal government has also appointed Dr Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan as the province’s new chief secretary.
The summary was signed under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution. A Presidency statement said an unusual surge in terrorism poses serious threats to the lives and property of citizens.
Why the Presidency acted
The statement said attacks on government installations, infrastructure and law enforcement agencies have increased. It said the provincial government failed to deal effectively with terrorism and lawlessness, and that the province can no longer be run in accordance with the Constitution.
What changes
- The federal government can direct the KP governor to take over all or some provincial affairs.
- The governor can exercise the powers of provincial institutions and officials, other than the provincial assembly.
- The chief minister, provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants and the advocate general must leave their offices immediately.
- The proclamation takes effect at once. The President called immediate constitutional action necessary given the grave situation in the province.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recommended the move to the President after the federal cabinet approved it.
New chief secretary
A notification names Dr Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan, a Grade 22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, as KP chief secretary. He was previously Secretary of the Power Division at the federal Ministry of Energy. The appointment is effective immediately and will remain in place until further orders. He belongs to Mardan district in KP.
The notification also placed the services of three more officers at the KP government’s disposal:
- Muhammad Yahya Akhunzada (Grade 20), who is likely to be appointed Additional Chief Secretary of the FATA Council
- Khawaja Sikandar Zeeshan (Grade 19), from Punjab
- Major (retd) Aurangzeb (Grade 18)
PM’s cabinet address
Addressing the federal cabinet, Prime Minister Sharif accused the KP government of planning a march on Islamabad, calling it a “nefarious plan” and saying the law would take its course. He said the provincial government had not strengthened the police or the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), had stayed silent on terrorists, and had not expressed solidarity with the families of victims or martyrs. He said about Rs800 billion had been given to the provincial government, and that the armed forces were hunting down terrorists.
He said the cabinet had decided to send a delegation to the KP government to resolve matters, and that talks with the PTI had been held in good faith.
Other remarks
- Economy: The PM said a staff-level agreement with the IMF has been reached and the next tranche is expected this year. He said State Bank reserves are at a record high and more than 10 million people have benefited from the Prime Minister’s Fuel Subsidy Scheme.
- Saudi Arabia and the region: He said Pakistan stands with Saudi Arabia and will not tolerate aggression against it. He described Houthi actions in the Bab al-Mandeb as extremely dangerous and said a drone attack on Makkah was foiled a few weeks ago. He said Iran is a brotherly neighbour and that Pakistan wants peace in the region.
- Afghanistan: He said Pakistan has repeatedly made its position clear to Kabul and that the two countries will remain neighbours.
Source: Based on a Presidency statement, a chief secretary notification and the PM’s cabinet remarks, as reported by Urdu media on October 11, 2026. The claims that the provincial government failed and planned a march on Islamabad are the Presidency’s and the PM’s positions. The source reports did not include a response from the KP government or political parties.
