Pakistani President and PM invoked Articles 232 and 234 to place KPK under the central government's control

The central government declared an emergency and placed the governor in charge of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as tensions between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial government continued to rise.

The report explains that this strict step was taken due to disagreements over counterterrorism policies and the security situation. 

A major change occurred in Pakistan's politics today, when President Asif Ali Zardari approved a proclamation dealing with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

This came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave him carte blanche. 

Official documents explain that the province's government machinery wasn't working properly, and they invoked Articles 232 and 234 of the Pakistani Constitution.

The documents reveal that Shehbaz Sharif advised the President to give approval to the proposal and release a proclamation. 

A separate paper from the President's office states that the Prime Minister's advice was accepted and the proclamation order was officially signed off.

 

Article 234 of Pakistan's Constitution says that when the President believes a provincial government isn't following the Constitution properly, the federal government can take over that province.

While Article 232 allows the President to declare an emergency, the provincial assembly keeps functioning normally. 

But if a provincial law and a federal law made by Parliament don't agree, the federal law wins. 

When Pakistan declares an emergency under Article 232, it is set to last for two months at first, but it needs approval from a joint sitting of Parliament (the Majlis-e-Shoora) to continue past that time. 

Governor's rule, which comes from Article 234, is limited to a maximum duration of six months and cannot be extended beyond that point.