What happened
According to a report by Dawn, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Peshawar on Thursday. This marks his initial visit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) since the central government declared emergency and governor's rule in the province on October 11. Sources within the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) stated that PM Shehbaz is expected to preside over a meeting of the apex committee on terrorism during his trip.
Key facts
- The federal government imposed emergency measures and governor's rule in KP on October 11, citing deliberate disengagement from fighting terrorism by the PTI-led provincial administration.
- Parliament formally endorsed the federal government's actions last week amidst protests from opposition members.
- The move came after the PTI—which governed KP while sitting in opposition federally—held a protest march and mobilization drive demanding the release of its jailed founder, Imran Khan.
- Intense negotiations between federal authorities and the PTI collapsed a week before governor's rule was declared, primarily due to disputes over counterterrorism policy.
- The PTI asserted that it was excluded from provincial security decisions, a claim the federal government denied. Federal officials criticized KP's security management and opposed its stance on dialogue with the Afghan Taliban.
- Following these developments, the central government sanctioned the deployment of Pakistan Army troops and military assets to assist civil authorities in KP.
Why it matters
According to Dawn, federal ministers alleged that the PTI-led provincial government maintained a nexus with terrorist organizations, arguing that KP's deteriorating security environment necessitated federal intervention. Additional outcomes and official decisions from the Prime Minister's visit were not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 22, 2026 · Photo by Aimal Khan on Unsplash