New Delhi, Oct. 12 -- President Asif Ali Zardari's announcement came hours after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's office said that the federal Cabinet had recommended emergency rule, accusing the provincial government of "deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism."

The measures place the province under the authority of an appointed governor, who represents the federal government.

Khan, Sharif's main political rival, has been imprisoned since 2023 on corruption and other charges that he and his party say are politically motivated. Despite his imprisonment, he retains a substantial and passionate support base, keeping him at the center of Pakistan's turbulent political landscape.

Why the federal government imposed emergenc...