The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Thursday disposed of a petition challenging the appointment of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi as infructuous following the imposition of governor’s rule and a state of emergency in the province.
The federal government imposed governor’s rule and an emergency in K-P on Sunday, citing what it described as the provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism.
Afridi remains in preventive custody, along with some members of his cabinet, according to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which reported their detention shortly after the federal government announced the measures.
“The petition has become infructuous following the imposition of the state of emergency and governor’s rule,” FCC Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan observed while heading a two-judge bench that also included Justice Ali Baqar Najafi.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by estranged PTI leader Sher Afzal Khan Marwat challenging the resignation of former K-P chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur in October 2025, which preceded Afridi’s appointment.
At the outset of Thursday’s proceedings, the chief justice questioned whether the petition could still be heard in light of recent developments in K-P, saying the proceedings could not continue given the changed circumstances.
Marwat told the court that he also intended to challenge the imposition of governor’s rule and the emergency and sought a short adjournment to prepare his case.
Justice Najafi, however, observed that the petition concerning the now non-functional chief minister was no longer a live issue, adding that governor’s rule and the emergency were separate matters.
Marwat argued that Afridi could be restored to office if the measures were lifted in the near future.
