The federal government intensified pressure on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) administration on Wednesday, with Defence Minister Khawaja Asif indicating that critical decisions were imminent. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also suggested that the provincial government’s stance might lead to the imposition of an emergency in the region.
In a social media post, Khawaja Asif emphasized the federal government’s reluctance to impose governor’s rule, describing it as a last resort. However, he stressed that the people of KP could not be left vulnerable to terrorist threats. He highlighted the necessity of securing the federal capital and warned that the unfolding situation would determine whether the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would become a “political martyr.”
Asif accused the KP government of neglecting the rising terrorism issue, focusing instead on a faltering political long march. He noted that while the PTI-led provincial government was engaged in political campaigning across the province, KP was simultaneously experiencing a surge in terrorist attacks.
Referring to a terrorist attack on October 6 in Dera Ismail Khan that killed five people, including two Customs officials, Asif criticized the provincial leadership for failing to condemn the attack, visit the victims’ families, or attend funerals. He remarked that the people of KP had already endured significant bloodshed and that the current situation was unsustainable.
He declared that the time had come to take decisive action, arguing that the province could no longer be governed by what he described as “incompetent and insensitive rulers.” The defence minister further alleged evidence of the provincial government’s connections with terrorist facilitators, pointing to developments witnessed over the past three years.
Separately, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry urged the KP government to cooperate with the federal authorities on matters of terrorism and national security. In a video statement, he said Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s public refusal to collaborate with the Centre was creating conditions that might necessitate emergency measures.
Chaudhry warned Afridi that if his stance did not change, he would bear responsibility for the consequences. He noted that the federal government had briefed the KP chief minister on national security issues and called on the provincial administration to implement concrete counterterrorism measures. He also claimed that the provincial government lacked effective control in 12 districts of KP.
The minister emphasized that Islamabad would not tolerate any attacks and vowed that all necessary steps would be taken to protect the capital. Discussions about imposing emergency rule in KP have been ongoing amid escalating tensions between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration. Chaudhry had earlier indicated that emergency under Article 232 was being seriously considered due to worsening security and the provincial government’s alleged failure to address terrorism.
This dispute has intensified alongside the PTI’s long march towards Islamabad, which began on October 4 from Lakki Marwat after failed negotiations over security and access to party founder Imran Khan. The march has since progressed through Kohat en route to Peshawar.
Adding to the criticism, PPP parliamentary leader in the KP Assembly Ahmad Karim Kundi condemned the provincial government for not taking ownership of the war on terror and instead engaging in confrontation with the federal government. He expressed regret over the provincial cabinet’s criticism of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and urged KP leaders to prioritize the province’s security over political disputes with the Centre.
Kundi reminded that the Constitution mandates provincial adherence to federal policy in federal matters and questioned the KP government’s commitment to implementing the state’s counterterrorism strategy. He highlighted the resurgence of terrorism in KP and accused the PTI government of failing to lead the fight against militancy despite the province’s frontline position.
He also raised concerns about the utilization of federal funds allocated to KP for counterterrorism efforts, implying a lack of transparency and effectiveness in their deployment.
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