Federal government plans more powers for KP governor

The federal government has decided to grant additional powers to the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid growing concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in the province.

According to government sources, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has forwarded a proposed ordinance to President Asif Ali Zardari concerning the governor’s powers during an emergency. The president is expected to issue the ordinance soon on the prime minister’s advice.

Under the proposed legislation, the KP governor will receive broader administrative and other special powers to deal with the security situation during the emergency period.

Government sources said the ordinance would also grant the governor additional authority over 12 designated districts in the province. However, details of the specific powers and their implementation have not yet been disclosed.

The sources further revealed that the proposed ordinance was the reason behind the rescheduling of the National Assembly session.

According to the government, once a session of the National Assembly has been formally summoned, an ordinance cannot be promulgated. The government is therefore seeking to complete the process before the parliamentary session takes place.

The proposed move comes amid increasing security challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the federal government is considering additional administrative measures to strengthen its response to the situation.

The ordinance is expected to define the governor’s expanded authority during the emergency and establish the administrative framework for exercising those powers in the 12 designated districts.

However, the proposed changes will become effective only after the ordinance is formally issued by the president.