Islamabad, 13 October, 2026 (Nosheen): Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has said that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have welcomed the imposition of governor’s rule, expressing hope that the move will help improve the province’s deteriorating law and order situation. Addressing a briefing for foreign media representatives alongside Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, the information minister said the federal government had repeatedly attempted to reach an agreement with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the provincial government on a joint counterterrorism strategy, but coordinated measures had not been adopted. He maintained that the federal government had no political agenda and hoped that the security situation would improve following the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency. Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan was pursuing dialogue and diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan and urged the interim Afghan government to dismantle terrorist safe havens and take credible steps to prevent its territory from being used for attacks inside Pakistan. He alleged that the provincial government followed a different policy towards the Afghan administration, questioning how two different approaches to terrorism could operate within one country. The minister said the provincial governance system had become paralysed, while terrorist activities had increased significantly. He further stated that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had received approximately Rs800 billion through the National Finance Commission (NFC) mechanism but questioned why the funds had not been used effectively to strengthen counterterrorism capabilities. According to him, greater investment was needed in the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Safe City surveillance systems, counter-extremism initiatives, forensic laboratories and modern police equipment. Recalling his recent visit to Kohat following a terrorist attack, Tarar said he had met injured victims in hospital and visited the families of those killed. He added that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa wanted an end to terrorism despite the hardships they had endured.
Meanwhile, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said President Asif Ali Zardari had proclaimed an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, citing the growing number of terrorist incidents as a major factor behind the decision. He said no specific timeframe could be given for the duration of the emergency or governor’s rule, adding that the two measures had different durations and could be extended if circumstances required. The law minister described the Constitution as the fundamental framework governing the state and defining the procedures for dealing with exceptional situations. He said Pakistan had been confronting terrorism for decades and had made significant sacrifices in the fight against militancy. Citing figures shared by government institutions, Azam Nazeer Tarar said 2,911 terrorist incidents were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa between 2021 and 2024, while the figure subsequently rose to approximately 8,600, representing an increase of around 200 per cent. He identified the rising number of attacks as a key factor behind the emergency declaration. The law minister added that the Pakistan Army was assisting law enforcement agencies in maintaining internal security, while the defence of the country’s borders remained its primary responsibility. He praised the sacrifices of the armed forces and security agencies in combating terrorism and stressed that protecting the lives of innocent citizens was a fundamental responsibility of the state. He also called for stronger coordination among relevant institutions, emphasising that federal and provincial governments must exercise their powers within their respective constitutional and legal mandates.