Pakistan imposes emergency rule in ​province governed by Imran Khan’s party

NEW: Pakistan imposes emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the province governed by Imran Khan's PTI party, citing the 'provincial government's deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism', as PTI prepares a march on Islamabad.

Pakistan just suspended an entire provincial government. The one run by Imran Khan's party.

A state of emergency was declared on Sunday in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, invoked under two security articles of the constitution. President Asif Ali Zardari approved it after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and the official reason is the provincial government's deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism. That's the stated reason.

The timing tells you the rest. PTI has been preparing a march on Islamabad to demand Khan's release, and you can see their supporters marching in Khyber district just days ago. Khan has been in jail for more than three years, and he's still arguably the most popular politician in the country.

So on the eve of a march on the capital, the one province his party actually governs just lost its government. Whatever happens next, that is the fact to hold onto.

This is Sara White, reporting for HIT.