Pakistan, Oct. 13 -- The debate over the imposition of Governor's Rule and an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is being framed primarily as a political issue, but the reality is quite different. The reasons behind these measures are less political and more emotional. Political problems existed before and continued to exist. They were being tolerated. But the situation had now reached a point where Pakistan's entire effort against terrorism was at stake. The state had no other option. Any state would have made the same decision. In fact, another state might have taken this step much earlier.

Pakistan has made enormous sacrifices in the war against terrorism. Its security forces and police personnel have suffered immense losses, while the c...