Last Updated on October 12, 2026 by YeJahan
YEJAHAN REPORT
ISLAMABAD (Oct 11): The Chief Minister has reportedly been arrested as the federal government on Sunday suspended the provincial administration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, invoking a state of emergency and imposing Governor’s rule across the restive northwestern region.
President Asif Ali Zardari formally ratified the drastic measures by signing the executive summary late on Sunday, following an emergency cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The official decree asserts that the regional administration had fundamentally failed to counter an escalating wave of militancy and lawlessness.
A Critical Point Reached
Addressing the federal cabinet, Prime Minister Sharif delivered a scathing indictment of the provincial setup. “The water has risen above our heads,” the Prime Minister warned, declaring that the federal government would not permit a return to the volatile political paralysis seen during the 2014 sit-ins. He accused the provincial administration of maintaining a complicit silence rather than confronting resurgent terrorist elements, further noting that the region’s Police and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) had been deliberately starved of resources.
The intervention brings a dramatic end to the tenure of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, whose administration had been locked in a bitter standoff with Islamabad over security operations and an ongoing opposition protest march toward the federal capital.
Sheikh Akram, Central Secretary Information and Spokesperson of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), claimed on his X account that the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has been arrested.
“I strongly condemn the reported arrest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. The detention of an elected chief minister constitutes a serious assault on the democratic mandate of the people of the province and undermines constitutional governance. “
I strongly condemn the reported arrest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. The detention of an elected chief minister constitutes a serious assault on the democratic mandate of the people of the province and undermines constitutional governance. Coming in the wake of the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule, this action further deepens political polarisation and erodes public confidence in democratic institutions. We demand his immediate release and an end to measures that target elected representatives. Political differences must be resolved through constitutional and democratic means.
— Sheikh Waqas Akram (@SheikhWaqqas) October 11, 2026
No government official has confirmed the arrest of Chief Minister KP; however, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar admitted that “some” officials of the KP administration have been taken into protective custody.
The Prime Minister revealed that two days of intense negotiations with the opposition had brought both sides close to an understanding, only for the talks to collapse unexpectedly on the final night. He squarely blamed Chief Minister Afridi for actively sabotaging domestic peace.
Political Maneuvering and Executive Sanction
The final decision to dismantle the provincial government was reached following rapid political consultations. During the cabinet session, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar contacted JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to secure broader political backing for the intervention.
Once consensus was reached, the formal proposal was driven directly to the Presidency by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and senior PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry. The subsequent declaration issued by the Aiwan-e-Sadr stated that governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could no longer be conducted in accordance with the Constitution.
The New Administrative Structure
Under the new federal arrangement, the elected provincial assembly is effectively bypassed, with absolute executive authority shifting to the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal Karim Kundi.
To assist the Governor in managing the province under the 1985 Rules of Business, the federal government has appointed an 11-member technocratic and political Advisory Council. The newly formed cabinet includes: Tariq Mahmood Pasha, Dr Aamir Abdullah, Lieutenant General (Retd) Nigar Johar, Samar Bilour, Dr Sarfaraz Ali, Aamir Javed, Dr M Irshad, Kifayatullah, Tayyab Qureshi, Usman Saifullah Khan, and Asif Rafique.
Additionally, Sanaullah Advocate has been appointed as the new Advocate General for the province. The federal order has been implemented with immediate effect, as the military is deployed under Article 245 of the Constitution to assist the new administration in stabilizing the frontier province.
Federal Government decides to seize control of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in shocking emergency crackdown!
Soon after imposing the emergency, the Interior minister issued a notification to call in Pakistan Army to support the civilian setup. The federal government deployed the Pakistan Army in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Article 245 of the Constitution. According to the official notification, the KP Governor will consult with the Military Operations Directorate to finalize troop requirements. The troops are being deployed to assist the civil administration, protect public property, and ensure the safety of citizens’ lives and assets.
Copyright YeJahan News Network, 2026
