THE possibility of governor rule in KP has been widely discussed for months but it now seems imminent. The mounting tension between the provincial and federal governments appears to have reached a critical point. Recent statements by some government ministers indicate that the option is being seriously considered.
Any such move would plunge the country deeper into crises, with far-reaching political and security consequences. The shrinking democratic space in the country has already created a volatile situation and the ongoing politics of confrontation could derail the entire system. Can the country, which is facing multiple internal and external security challenges, afford such a reckless action?
Among the reasons cited by the federal government for this potential move are security and governance problems in KP. It may be true that the strategically located province is facing perhaps its worst security challenge in a decade, with terrorism claiming hundreds of lives, but the main responsibility of this worsening security situation lies with the federal government and security establishment. The pretext of bad governance is equally spurious with conditions in the other provinces hardly enviable.
It is all about power politics and pushing the PTI government in KP to the wall. For over a year now, the establishment-backed federal government has done everything it can to destabilise the PTI government that still enjoys a dominant presence in the KP Assembly, despite being denied its share of reserved seats for women and the minorities.
Any move to impose governor’s rule in KP could plunge the country further into crises.
With a new and more hard-line chief minister now at the helm, the confrontation between the provincial and federal governments has come to a head. The potential imposition of governor’s rule in the province reflects the desperation of the hybrid set-up that has failed to subdue the provincial government. But any drastic action against an administration that still enjoys popular support will unravel the situation in a region experiencing rising militancy and war-like conditions on the western border.
Most alarming is the growing alienation of the local population with the state, particularly in the districts most affected by militancy. There is a complete breakdown of administrative control in these areas because of the prevailing tension between the provincial government and the establishment — a situation which ends up providing greater space to the terrorist groups now operating with impunity. The recent attack on the FC headquarters in Peshawar shows the growing capacity of these groups to carry out such audacious strikes even in a high-security zone.
Who is to be blamed for this security failure? Certainly not the ill-equipped and highly demoralised civilian law enforcers. The growing trust gap between the state and public has been a major factor in the virtual collapse of security in the province.
Moreover, comments by the ISPR head on a ‘political-criminal nexus’ have been widely interpreted as linking the provincial political leadership with militant and criminal groups, contributing to perceptions of the establishment being involved in the Islamabad-Peshawar face-off. This can end up widening the trust deficit instead of uniting the people against an existentialist threat and give the impression of a state estranged from its own people.
The ongoing conflict with Afghanistan and terrorist sanctuaries based in the latter country have directly affected KP. The province has a long border and ethnic-based connections with Afghanistan. Thus, the mounting Pak-Afghan tensions have a direct bearing on KP politics and society. The closing of the borders has massively affected business and trade in the province. But have the state institutions and federal government recognised these concerns of the local population?
While one can dispute the PTI’s position on dealing with Afghanistan’s backing of the TTP, the stance of the provincial government over the forced expulsion of those Afghan refugees who were born and/or lived in this country for almost three generations is not unreasonable as is being portrayed by the federal government. In fact, the government’s arbitrary decision to expel them and the closure of trade has turned Afghan public sentiments against this country, which, in turn, has been exploited by the Afghan Taliban administration.
There is an urgent need for the establishment and the federal government to review their Afghan policy. Certain public statements made by the defence minister and some other Pakistani officials using strong language for the Afghans has not only infuriated the people across the western border but also many Pakhtuns in this country.
But the root of the confrontation lies in the diminishing democratic space and rising authoritarianism in the country. With the curbing of judicial autonomy through constitutional amendments, the government has closed the doors for any judicial recourse against extra-constitutional actions by the hybrid set-up. Denying incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan his constitutional right to a fair trial and not allowing him to meet his relatives and lawyers despite court orders has further fuelled the politics of confrontation between the centre and the KP government. The party in the province has now been taken over by the younger generation and more assertive elements who are not willing to accept the regime’s undemocratic actions.
With the establishment of a separate and evidently pliant constitutional court, the federal government now feels confident that its unconstitutional and undemocratic actions will not be struck down, thus making it easier to impose governor’s rule in KP. There seems to be no idea in powerful circles about the public reaction that such a move could trigger in the province.
The federal law minister appeared to defend governor’s rule, referring to it as a constitutional choice and not martial law. But the denial of democratic rights and the high-handedness of some powerful quarters is being regarded as no less than that. Suspending the provincial government would exacerbate public discontent, further destabilising the country.
The writer is an author and journalist.
X: @hidhussain
Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2025
