According to Dawn, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a provincial apex committee meeting in Peshawar to review the overall security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The visit marked his first trip to the province since the federal government declared an emergency and imposed governor's rule on Oct 11.

What happened

During the meeting, Prime Minister Sharif pledged that the federal government would commit all necessary resources to restore development and security in KP. He criticized previous administrative decisions, stating that negligence had allowed terrorism to re-emerge after peace was established in 2018. He asserted that emergency rule was enacted out of extreme necessity to protect public safety and refocus on public welfare, including education and healthcare.

Key facts

  • The apex committee meeting was attended by Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, federal ministers, and newly appointed provincial advisers.
  • Sharif highlighted that earlier stabilization efforts leading up to 2018 resulted in 80,000 casualties and economic losses amounting to several hundred billion dollars.
  • Parliament endorsed the imposition of governor's rule and emergency measures, while federal military troops were authorized to assist civilian authorities in KP.
  • The exact timeframe for how long the governor's rule will remain in place was not specified in the source; please check the official notice.

Why it matters

According to Dawn, the takeover occurred after talks broke down between the Centre and the PTI-led provincial government concerning counterterrorism policies and opposition demands to release Imran Khan. Federal ministers alleged that the provincial government disengaged from fighting terrorism and maintained ties with militant groups, whereas the PTI argued it was left out of key security decisions. Under the current setup, Governor Kundi is leading provincial management, with counterterrorism efforts cited as the primary focus.

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Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 22, 2026 · Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash