Name? Asif Ali Zardari
Westphalian identity? Pakistani
Age? 71
Why is he in the news? Pakistani President Zardari suspended the provincial government in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, just weeks after the suicide bombing in Dera Ismail Khan. The province is governed by and acts as a stronghold for jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The emergency rule comes as thousands of Khan supporters have been holding anti-government protests demanding the release of the former Prime Minister.
Why do we care? Zardari signed the proclamation on Sunday, 11 October, on the advice of PM Shehbaz Sharif. Parliament ratified the move on 15 October over opposition protests. The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi, was placed in “preventative custody” shortly after the announcement, and his whereabouts have not been disclosed.
Why should you care? Framed as a fight against terrorism and a move to ensure law and order, the emergency rule comes at a time of heightened tensions with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Zardari’s government has accused Khan’s PTI of sympathising with the TTP. 3,787 militant incidents have been recorded over the past year in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with officials arguing that the PTI-run provincial government prioritises political protests over counterterrorism measures, an allegation the PTI rejects.
Who else cares? With Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bordering Afghanistan, Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada’s relationship with Pakistan has involved deep friction over the TTP and cross-border militant attacks. On 17 October, border clashes in Kurram district reportedly killed several Afghan Taliban fighters, according to Pakistani security sources. While Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of harbouring anti-Pakistan militants, Akhundzada allegedly opposed wide-scale military attacks against Pakistan.
Any further comments? For Zardari, this move is a gamble that puts the province in his coalition’s hands without a clear way out amid mounting pressure at home and abroad.
