Parliament Approves Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Emergency

Pakistan’s National Assembly and Senate have approved President Asif Ali Zardari’s proclamation of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, endorsing the measure through majority votes despite strong objections from opposition lawmakers.

The National Assembly considered the resolution after Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry presented it before the house. A motion to suspend question hour was also approved, allowing lawmakers to take up the emergency-related business during the session.

Opposition members challenged the decision and protested during the proceedings, but the resolution passed by majority vote. The National Assembly was subsequently adjourned until Friday morning.

The Senate then considered the matter under the chairmanship of Yousaf Raza Gilani. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the constitutional process governing the proclamation did not require the notice procedure cited by opponents, arguing that the resolution had to be considered under constitutional requirements.

The Senate approved the emergency measure after debate, while opposition members walked out in protest. The government said the measure followed an assessment of security conditions in the province, including internal disturbances and cross-border incursions.

Federal ministers argued that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faces a serious terrorism challenge and called for political unity in responding to it. They said parliamentary approval was required within 10 days of the presidential proclamation under Article 232 of the Constitution.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said he remained open to political dialogue and would ask the prime minister to end the emergency if conditions changed. Opposition leaders, however, described the move as an attack on provincial representation and demanded that it be reversed.

The approval sets the stage for further political and legal debate over the emergency, its duration and its effect on governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.