Pakistan's president declared a state of emergency in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday, suspending the provincial government led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

President Asif Ali Zardari acted on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's cabinet, invoking Articles 232 and 234 of the constitution. The move places the province under governor's rule with Faisal Karim Kundi in charge alongside an 11-member advisory council for an initial period of six months.

Federal officials cited the provincial government's deliberate disengagement from efforts against terrorism and a sharp rise in militant attacks. The interior ministry announced plans to deploy additional troops to support security operations in the province bordering Afghanistan.

Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and provincial PTI president Junaid Akbar were taken into custody shortly after the announcement, according to party lawmakers. PTI leaders condemned the action as a disguised coup that would worsen instability.

The emergency follows weeks of political tension, including a long march by PTI supporters demanding Khan's release. The federal government and military have accused the provincial administration of failing to curb Islamist militants responsible for increasing attacks on security forces and civilians.

This development removes PTI from its last remaining provincial stronghold and escalates the confrontation between the federal authorities and Khan's party. Security forces have been placed on heightened alert in the provincial capital of Peshawar.