Federal Cabinet Approves Emergency, Governor’s Rule in KP Amid Rising Terrorism

The federal cabinet, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, gave approval for emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as terrorist instances constant to rise and the province’s security situation get worse.

During the meeting, cabinet members reviewed the deteriorating security situation and discussed the provincial government’s response to terrorism. The cabinet recommended that the prime minister advise the president to exercise constitutional powers under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution of Pakistan to impose an emergency in the province. An advice was subsequently sent from the Prime Minister’s House to the Presidency.

Addressing the meeting, Shehbaz Sharif said terrorists were targeting civilians, police personnel, members of the armed forces and children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. He described the attacks as deeply painful and called for stronger counterterrorism measures.

The prime minister said the provincial government should provide the necessary resources to the police and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). He added that around Rs800 billion had been allocated to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including funds intended to strengthen law enforcement institutions.

Terrorist Attacks Rise by 195%

Security reports reviewed by the cabinet highlighted a significant increase in terrorist incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to the reports, terrorist attacks rose by 195% between March 1, 2024, and September 23, 2026.

The reports stated that 73% of terrorist attacks recorded in 2026 targeted police and security agencies. They also highlighted the growing use of drones by terrorist groups, with 170 drone attacks reported in 2026, compared with none reported in 2024.

The reports identified several challenges facing the province’s security institutions, including more than 9,000 vacant police positions, shortages of modern weapons and surveillance equipment, and a lack of protected vehicles in terrorism-affected southern districts.

The CTD was also reported to be facing a shortage of specially trained personnel and inadequate operational facilities. The reports called for improved police capacity, better equipment and stronger counterterrorism infrastructure.

Recent Attacks Raise Security Concerns

The cabinet meeting took place amid a series of deadly attacks across the province. On October 9, two police personnel were killed in separate shooting incidents in Khyber district, while four policemen were injured in an attack on a police checkpoint on October 7.

On September 28, three policemen were killed in an attack on a traffic police vehicle in Tank district. Earlier, an attack in Dera Ismail Khan on September 26 killed 12 people and injured 35.

A suicide bombing at a mosque in Kohat on September 16 killed 21 people, including 15 policemen and six civilians, while 103 others were injured.

The prime minister also discussed Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to promote regional peace, economic stability and relations with Saudi Arabia, reiterating that Makkah and Madinah were red lines for Pakistan.