ISLAMABAD, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday approved the imposition of emergency and governor's rule in the country's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province following a recommendation by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif amid a worsening security situation, the President's House said.
In a statement, the President's House said Zardari signed the prime minister's advice under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, paving the way for the emergency measures in the province.
The statement said the decision was taken after considering the federal cabinet's recommendation, reports from relevant institutions on the law and order situation, and the failure of negotiations between government delegations and stakeholders.
Earlier in the day, the federal cabinet, chaired by Sharif, decided to recommend the imposition of emergency and governor's rule after reviewing what it described as a deteriorating security situation and a rise in terrorist incidents in the province, according to the Prime Minister's Office.
The cabinet was briefed on the prevailing law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before forwarding the summary to the president for approval.
Under Pakistan's Constitution, Article 232 provides for the proclamation of emergency under specified circumstances, while Article 234 allows the federal government to assume certain functions of a provincial government if constitutional governance in the province cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has witnessed a surge in militant violence in recent months, prompting Pakistani security forces to intensify intelligence-based counterterrorism operations across the province. ■