Islamabad:Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the declaration of a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a northwestern province of Pakistan, following a recommendation from Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
According to Qatar News Agency, the decision was made after the federal cabinet proposed that the prime minister invoke constitutional powers under Articles 232 and 234 due to the escalating security crisis in the region. This proposal was supported by comprehensive reports from relevant security institutions and the breakdown of negotiations between the government and provincial leadership.
The Pakistani Presidency issued a statement indicating that the state of emergency was declared due to the security situation and the provincial government's inability to manage ongoing armed attacks. President Zardari approved the emergency measure in response to these challenges.
Prime Minister Sharif had earlier chaired a federal cabinet meeting to address the deteriorating security conditions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. During the meeting, the cabinet received a thorough briefing on the situation and reviewed the crisis in detail. Sharif emphasized that the federal government is committed to taking action and expressed concern for local residents affected by the armed attacks.