Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-12 · by Munir Ahmed The Associated Press
Pakistan's federal government suspended Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's provincial administration led by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party on Sunday, citing alleged collusion with the Pakistani Taliban as justification. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed they have "solid evidence" of this collaboration and stated that security forces need to coordinate better against terrorism without interference from the suspended government. The federal law minister indicated the suspension will last at least six months but did not specify when it would be lifted, while Khan’s party spokesman denied these allegations and prepared legal challenges against the emergency decree.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-12,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On Friday, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry announced that the Centre had completed its deliberations regarding the imposition of an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The decision followed a series of escalations, including PTI-led protests demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and accusations by the federal government that the provincial administration was deliberately disengaging from anti-terrorism efforts.
On Sunday, following approval from President Asif Ali Zardari under Articles 232(1) and 234(1) of Pakistan's Constitution, an emergency and governor’s rule were officially declared in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This action allows the federal government to take control over key executive and legislative powers within the province.
The imposition of these measures followed a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who emphasized the need for stability amid economic concerns and security threats. The provincial government led by jailed PTI leader Imran Khan's party has now ceased to function, with all chief ministerial positions vacated immediately under the presidential proclamation.
Written for “Emergency Imposed In KP” on 2026-10-12,
grounded in this article and the 27 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but all 3 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 74485: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-12
Pakistan’s federal government on Monday accused the provincial administration led by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party of working “hand in glove” with the Pakistani Taliban, citing the alleged collusion to justify its suspension a day earlier.
asserted
government → accuse → suspension
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the government had “solid evidence” to support its allegations.
asserted
government → say → allegations
He said the suspension and imposition of a state of emergency in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province will allow security forces and the new administration to better coordinate efforts to combat terrorism.
asserted
forces → say → terrorism
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the provincial government had been suspended for at least six months but gave no timetable for lifting the emergency.
asserted
government → say → emergency
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the province’s top elected official, was in government custody after being removed from his position.
asserted
Afridi → elect → position
The information minister accused Afridi of facilitating the Pakistani Taliban, who are suspected of being behind a surge in violence in recent years.
asserted
who → accuse → years
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, is a separate group but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban, who returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
asserted
who → return → 2021
Islamabad often accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of sheltering TTP militants, an allegation Kabul denies.
asserted
Kabul → accuse → allegation
The law minister said the federal government had exhausted efforts, including negotiations, to avoid imposing direct rule via the governor in the province.
asserted
government → say → province
Khan’s party spokesman, Zulfiqar Bukhari, rejected the allegations, saying their legal team was preparing legal challenges against the emergency decree.
“You cannot have a provincial government in the country which sympathizes with the terrorists, or which supports terrorists,” the information minister told a news conference.
asserted
minister → reject → conference
He alleged that Khan’s supporters last week traveled through areas along the Afghan border with assistance from militants, who he said provided safe passage.
asserted
he → allege → passage
Daily life continued largely as normal in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, with busy roads and open markets.
asserted
life → continue → roads
Authorities closed schools in the province for a day as a precaution against possible unrest, but demonstrations were limited to scattered groups of Khan’s supporters.
asserted
demonstrations → close → supporters
No protests by the party were reported in Islamabad.
asserted
protests → report → Islamabad
Talks last week between Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, and the federal government ended without agreement.
asserted
Talks → end → agreement
The law minister said that federal officials had not asked PTI to cancel its planned march on Islamabad to demand Khan’s release from prison, but had sought assurances that Afridi would prioritize the deteriorating security situation in his province.
asserted
Afridi → say → province
Tarar said that PTI representatives focused instead on securing Khan’s release.
asserted
representatives → say → release
Afridi and other PTI leaders have said Khan’s release and the fight against terrorism are separate issues and that the federal government’s counterterrorism policy is flawed.
asserted
policy → say → terrorism
PTI also wants better medical facilities for Khan at a private hospital.
asserted
PTI → want → hospital
However, Sharif’s government says Khan is medically fit and does not need hospitalization.
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Khan → say → hospitalization
Khan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s main political rival, has been imprisoned since 2023 on corruption and other charges that he and his party say are politically motivated.
asserted
he → imprison → corruption
Most supporters who had gathered in the province for this week’s planned march dispersed after Sunday’s announcement.
asserted
who → gather → announcement
Afridi had claimed that 2 million people would take to the streets if his government were suspended.
asserted
government → claim → streets
The Aporia
