THE possibility of a governor ruling in KP has been widely discussed for months, but now appears imminent. The growing 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 into an even deeper crisis, with far-reaching political and security consequences. The shrinking democratic space in the country has already created a volatile situation and the current confrontational policy could derail the entire system. Can the country, which is facing multiple internal and external security challenges, afford such reckless action?
Among the reasons cited by the federal government for this possible measure are security and governance issues 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 primary responsibility for this worsening security situation lies with the federal government and the security establishment. The pretext of bad government is equally spurious and the conditions in the other provinces are hardly enviable.
This is about power politics and driving the PTI government in KP to the wall. For more than a year now, the establishment-backed federal government has done everything it can to destabilize the PTI government, which still enjoys a dominant presence in the KP Assembly, despite being denied its share of seats reserved for women and minorities.
Any move to impose governor rule in KP could plunge the country further into crisis.
With a new, more hard-line premier at the helm, the confrontation between the provincial and federal governments has come to a head. The possible imposition of a gubernatorial government in the province reflects the desperation of the hybrid system 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 growing militancy and warlike 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 due to the prevailing tension between the provincial government and the establishment, a situation that ends up giving greater space to terrorist groups that now operate with impunity. The recent attack on the FC headquarters in Peshawar shows the growing capacity of these groups to carry out such audacious attacks even in a high security area.
Who should be blamed for this security breach? Certainly not ill-equipped and highly demoralized civilian law enforcement officers. The growing trust gap between the State and the public has been a major factor in the virtual collapse of security in the province.
Furthermore, the ISPR chief’s comments about a “political-criminal nexus” have been widely interpreted as linking provincial political leaders to militant and criminal groups, contributing to the perception that the establishment is involved in the Islamabad-Peshawar standoff. This may end up widening the trust deficit instead of uniting the people against an existentialist threat and giving the impression of a State distanced from its own people.
The current conflict with Afghanistan and the terrorist sanctuaries based in the latter country have directly affected KP. The province has a long border and ethnic connections with Afghanistan. Therefore, the rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have a direct relationship with KP politics and society. The border closure has greatly affected business and commerce in the province. But have state institutions and the federal government recognized these concerns of the local population?
While the PTI’s position on how to address Afghanistan’s support for the TTP can be questioned, the provincial government’s stance on the forced removal of those Afghan refugees who were born and/or lived in this country for almost three generations is not unreasonable, as the federal government is portraying it. Indeed, the government’s arbitrary decision to expel them and the closure of commerce has turned Afghan public sentiment 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 its Afghan policy. Certain public statements made by the Defense Minister and some other Pakistani officials using strong language for Afghans have not only angered people across the western border but also many Pakhtuns in this country.
But the root of the confrontation is the decrease in democratic space and growing authoritarianism in the country. By limiting judicial autonomy through constitutional amendments, the government has closed the doors to any judicial appeal against extraconstitutional actions of the hybrid system. Denying jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan his constitutional right to a fair trial and not allowing him to meet his family members and lawyers despite court orders has further fueled the confrontational politics between the Center and the KP government. The party in the province has now been taken over by the younger generation and more assertive elements who are unwilling to accept the regime’s undemocratic actions.
With the establishment of a separate and evidently compliant constitutional court, the federal government is now confident that its unconstitutional and undemocratic actions will not be overturned, facilitating the imposition of governor’s rule in KP. In powerful circles there seems to be no idea of the public reaction that such a measure could provoke in the province.
The federal Justice Minister appeared to defend the governor’s rule, referring to it as a constitutional election and not martial law. But the denial of democratic rights and the arrogance of some powerful sectors are considered nothing less than that. Suspending the provincial government would exacerbate public discontent and further destabilize the country.
The writer is an author and journalist.
zhussain100@yahoo.com
UNKNOWN: @hidhussain
Published in Dawn, December 3, 2025
