Islamabad, October 13,2026: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday defended the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, telling allied parties that the federal government had made every effort to avoid what he described as an “extreme step”.
The Centre imposed governor’s rule in KP on Sunday and declared an emergency in 12 districts, citing the provincial government’s alleged “deliberate disengagement” from counterterrorism efforts.
The prime minister took the ruling coalition’s allies into confidence during a meeting with a parliamentary delegation representing the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) and PML-Zia. He also held a separate meeting with a delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).
According to state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Shehbaz explained the reasons behind the federal government’s decision to take constitutional measures, arguing that the conduct of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government and its failure to adopt an unequivocal position against terrorism had put the country’s economic progress at risk.
He said the federal government had provided more than Rs800 billion to KP under the National Finance Commission (NFC) arrangements to support counterterrorism efforts. However, he alleged that the provincial government had failed to adequately strengthen its Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) or establish Safe City projects to improve its security capabilities.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the allied parties expressed support for the federal government and appreciated the prime minister’s leadership amid the prevailing circumstances.
The delegation also claimed that KP had been deprived of adequate development in health, education and infrastructure during PTI’s tenure, expressing confidence that federal cooperation would help bring development and prosperity to the province.
The meeting was attended by BAP President and Science and Technology Minister Khalid Magsi, former Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, senators Manzoor Kakar, Abdul Qadir Baloch, Dinesh Kumar and Samina Mumtaz Zehri, PML-Q President and Human Resource Development Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain, and representatives of the IPP and PML-Zia.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah also attended.
‘What other path did we have?’
Addressing a separate parliamentary meeting of the PML-N, Shehbaz said the federal government had been compelled to act amid growing terrorism and what he described as the PTI’s continued efforts to create political instability.
He said the people of KP had been waiting for development projects, including schools, universities and hospitals, as well as better law and order and an end to corruption, for the past 13 years.
However, he alleged that the provincial government had devoted its attention and resources to long marches and protests rather than public welfare.
“Can any respectable society tolerate this? Even the question does not arise. So what other path did we have?” the prime minister asked, questioning whether the Centre should have remained a “silent spectator”.
He said the government had been compelled to take the decision after talks between the government and opposition collapsed on October 3.
Recalling the negotiations, Shehbaz said the two sides had reached a point where an agreement appeared imminent and a consensus-based draft had been prepared. However, he said, the PTI team sought additional time to consult KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
The prime minister alleged that the negotiations subsequently broke down because the PTI leadership did not want an agreement and was pushing for further confrontation.
He also recalled his engagement with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in an effort to ease tensions, followed by the federal cabinet meeting on October 11.
“After all consultations and arguments, it was decided that this is the moment to save Pakistan. We must not wait any further, else everything will be set on fire and we will be left with regret,” he said.
Reiterating his defence of the decision, Shehbaz said the government had no altenative and that Pakistan’s interests had to come first.
He expressed hope that the newly appointed KP Advisory Council, which will function under the governor, would help improve security and living conditions in the province.
PM links security to economic progress
The prime minister said terrorism had been largely eliminated from most parts of the country several years ago but had resurged in recent times. He lamented that security personnel continued to be killed in KP and Balochistan.
He warned that the renewed violence could undermine the development progress achieved over the past two and a half years, arguing that sustained economic growth required a secure environment.
Shehbaz also criticised the PTI’s protests in Islamabad in November 2024 and its 2014 sit-ins at D-Chowk, saying political confrontation was diverting attention from national development and the fight against terrorism.
He urged political parties to stand with the federal government and armed forces while strengthening the police and CTD, rather than engaging in protests, verbal attacks and allegations.
The prime minister further criticised Afridi for what he described as a failure to express sympathy with the families of security personnel killed in the line of duty and to unequivocally condemn terrorist attacks.
At the beginning of his address, Shehbaz highlighted the federal government’s attempts to cooperate with the PTI-led provincial administration. He recalled meeting former KP chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur and said he had made clear that counterterrorism was a shared responsibility.
He also referred to his meeting with Afridi, asserting that the Centre had made every effort to work with the provincial government.
Separately, the prime minister cited remarks by International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, whom he said had recently described Pakistan as “a new Pakistan” while praising its economic reforms.
Recalling his meetings with international financial institutions last month, Shehbaz said positive assessments from independent international institutions had strengthened his confidence in the country’s economic progress.
