Authorities in Pakistan have announced a state of emergency in the the northwestern âÂÂKhyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The move on Sunday was invoked under two articles of the constitution dealing with security. It effectively suspends the provincial government run by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of jailed former Prime â Minister Imran Khan.
President Asif Ali Zardari said in a social media post he had approved the recommendations by the cabinet that held a meeting under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif earlier in the day.
A statement issued by SharifâÂÂs office said cabinet members reviewed the situation and took note of the âÂÂprovincial governmentâÂÂs deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorismâÂÂ.
It came as PTI has been preparing for a march on the capital, Islamabad, to demand the release of Khan, who has been in jail for more than three years but still commands widespread popularity across the country.