KARACHI: Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Sunday witnessed “major” disruptions to Internet connectivity, a global monitor said, following the president’s imposition of emergency rule in the volatile province.

Pakistan’s president declared a state of emergency and suspended the KP provincial government led by the party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Sunday, which the federal government said had failed to tackle militancy in the province bordering Afghanistan.

The move sharply escalates a standoff between Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and the government, and comes a week after PTI supporters gathered in the province intending to march on Islamabad to demand Khan’s release. PTI’s last large-scale protest two years ago ended in deadly clashes with security forces and ‌Khan’s 2023 arrest sparked ‌nationwide riots.

Hours after the imposition of emergency, Pakistan’s federal government authorized the deployment of army troops and assets to aid the civilian administration in the province, a directive issued by the interior ministry said, amid disruptions in Internet services.

“Network data show a major disruption to Internet connectivity in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, #Pakistan, as President Zardari imposes emergency rule, suspending the provincial government led by jailed former PM Imran Khan’s PTI amid protests demanding his release,” Internet monitor NetBlocks said in an X post late Sunday.

Pakistan’s constitution allows the government to take over from provincial authorities during an emergency. KP has seen a surge in militant attacks in recent weeks, which have killed dozens of security forces, law enforcers and civialians.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Sunday Provincial Governor Faisal Karim Kundi would take charge in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has suffered an increasing number of militant attacks in recent months.

Pakistan’s government and the military accuse PTI of failing to curb ‌militants. The party rejects the charge and says Islamabad has not ‌provided the funding and equipment it needs.

Restrictions have been placed ​on the movements of Sohail Afridi, who had previously ‌been in charge of the province, PTI members said. Arab News could not independently verify the claim.

Khan’s aide and PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari called the government’s move “more of a coup disguised as emergency,” adding that it risks leading to further instability and was intended to stop their protest march.

The emergency rule was imposed as Afridi, a close Khan aide, advanced toward the capital with thousands of Khan supporters in the northwestern province. The march began on Sunday from the northwestern Lakki Marwat district. Afridi had called on the party’s lawmakers and supporters to arrive in Swabi district by Oct. 14 to march toward Islamabad to secure Khan’s release.

Khan, a hugely popular former cricket star, has been behind bars since August 2023 and faces scores of charges ranging from corruption to treason and inciting violence, following widespread anti-establishment riots in May that year. He and his legal team reject the allegations, branding them as politically motivated cases aimed at neutralizing his popularity.

The federal government had sought to avoid the opposition show of force, but had also tied negotiations on the PTI’s demands to agreement on security measures in KP.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told reporters on Sunday the federal government had tried its utmost to resolve the situation without imposing an emergency in the province. He said in multiple meetings with the PTI leadership, the government communicated to the party repeatedly that it had “no issue” with its protest march to the capital.

“Our issue was entirely terrorism-related, and we want to take you on-board on it,” he said.