Pakhtunkhwa provincial government warned , opposition warns of threat to democracy, expansion of military rule
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday, October 9, suspended the provincial government led by the Tehreek-e-Insaf party following the declaration of a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and handed over the administration of the province to its governor, Faisal Karim Kandi. The Pakistani government cited the increase in terrorist threats as the reason for this decision.
Faisal Karim Kennedy welcomed the decision and warned that any chaos and lawlessness would be dealt with. He continued to emphasize cooperation with security forces to combat what he called terrorism.
In contrast, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party led by Imran Khan has called this action a covert coup by the Pakistani government and condemned it.
Former Pakistani President Arif Alvi has also said that this decision is “the final nail in the coffin of democracy”; he stressed that Imran Khan and his supporters will continue their peaceful struggle.
Manzoor Pashteen, leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, has also condemned the attempt to impose military rule on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; he called the arrest of Sohail Afridi, the chief minister of the province, and a number of PTI leaders and members illegal and undemocratic.
At the same time, Atif Mashal, former Afghan ambassador to Islamabad, has said that the declaration of a state of emergency may be part of the regional agenda of Pakistan’s military leadership beyond curbing the Tehreek-e-Insaf protests. He believes that the militarization of the region and the possibility of spreading proxy wars to neighboring countries could have implications for the security of Afghanistan, China, Russia, Central Asia, and Iran.
These developments come as tensions have increased over the march of Imran Khan’s supporters demanding his release; while the Pakistani government justifies this decision with security threats, the opposition considers it an act against democracy and political rights.
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