Peshawar: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has fixed October 20 for hearing petitions challenging the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and Advocate Salman Khan have filed separate petitions against the measures.
The petitions name the Federation of Pakistan, the president, the prime minister, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor and other relevant authorities as respondents.
The emergency was imposed on October 11 after President Asif Ali Zardari approved the move on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution. The federal government cited the province’s deteriorating security situation and concerns over counterterrorism efforts. The Imran Khan-founded PTI, which leads the provincial government, has opposed the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has taken charge of running the province on behalf of the federal government, assisted by an 11-member technocratic KP Advisory Council.
A day ago, Parliament approved the imposition of an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during a joint sitting as the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahaffuz Aiyeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) announced ending negotiations with the Centre over “unconstitutional measures”.
The resolutions, moved by Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhary to seek approval of the presidential proclamations issued on October 11 under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, were adopted during a joint sitting of parliament after a heated debate between treasury and opposition members.–Agencies
