Sources say administrative affairs in 12 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa may be handled separately, with federal control proposed for eight former tribal districts and four other districts.

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is considering a proposal to place the administrative affairs of 12 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under a separate arrangement, with control of the areas to be transferred to the federal government, according to sources.

Under the reported proposal, eight districts of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and four other districts — Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Karak and Kohat — would come under federal control.

Sources also said a proposal was under consideration to grant Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi the powers of the province’s chief executive.

The reported plan would separate the administrative management of the 12 districts from the existing provincial administrative structure. However, the precise mechanism for implementing the arrangement and the division of responsibilities have not been officially confirmed.

The development comes amid discussions at the federal level about possible emergency measures and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where political tensions between the federal government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led provincial administration have intensified.

According to media reports published on Oct. 11, the federal government is considering constitutional options in response to security concerns and the ongoing political confrontation. The reported proposals include emergency measures in selected districts and governor’s rule in other parts of the province.

The proposed administrative arrangement remains subject to further deliberations and any applicable constitutional procedures. No official confirmation of the specific proposal concerning the 12 districts or the transfer of chief executive powers to the governor was available at the time of publication.