ISLAMABAD, 13 October, 2026 (Nosheen): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced the establishment of a neutral technocrat advisory council to assist the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in improving law and order, strengthening the provincial economy and eliminating terrorism. The prime minister made these remarks during a meeting with a parliamentary delegation comprising representatives of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Zia. During the meeting, he briefed the delegation on the prevailing situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Shehbaz Sharif said the conduct of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government and its alleged reluctance to adopt a clear stance against terrorism had threatened the country’s economic progress. He said the federal cabinet had decided, through mutual consultation, to take constitutional measures under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution. The prime minister alleged that the provincial government had neither openly condemned terrorism nor taken decisive action against terrorists. He recalled that numerous personnel of the Pakistan Army, security forces and police had sacrificed their lives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the years while defending the country. He further alleged that the PTI and its provincial government had failed to provide adequate public services and protect citizens’ lives and property during the past 13 years, instead prioritising political confrontation.
The prime minister said the federal government had provided more than Rs800 billion to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the National Finance Commission (NFC) framework to support efforts against terrorism. However, he claimed that the provincial government had failed to take effective measures to strengthen the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and establish Safe City projects to improve security and counter terrorism. During the meeting, the allied parties’ parliamentary delegation assured the prime minister of its support for the federal government in the prevailing circumstances and praised his leadership during what it described as a challenging period for the country. The delegation said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been deprived of adequate development in health, education and infrastructure during the PTI government’s 13-year tenure. It expressed confidence that federal government support would help promote development and prosperity in the province. The delegation included Balochistan Awami Party President and Federal Minister Khalid Magsi, former Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, senators Manzoor Kakar, Abdul Qadir Baloch, Dinesh Kumar and Samina Mumtaz Zehri, and former senator Fida Muhammad Khan. PML-Q President and Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain, National Assembly members Muhammad Ilyas Chaudhry and Farah Khan, IPP Minister of State Aun Saqlain Abbas, lawmakers Gul Asghar Khan and Manza Hassan, and Pakistan Muslim League-Zia President and MNA Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq were also part of the delegation. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs and Interprovincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah also attended the meeting.