Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has suspended the provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the declaration of a state of emergency in the province.
Pakistan’s presidential office announced on Sunday, October 11, that the decision strips the elected provincial government of its powers.
The move comes amid escalating tensions between the government of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party led by Imran Khan.
In recent days, PTI has held rallies to pressure the Pakistani government to release its imprisoned leader, Imran Khan.
The party has threatened to march toward Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, in the coming days.
The presidential office said Zardari signed Sharif’s proposal to declare a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following a decision by the federal cabinet.
