- WEB DESK
- October 7, 2026
Ministers warn of ‘important decisions’ as tensions with KP govt escalate
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- WEB DESK
- October 7, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday stepped up pressure on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, with Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warning that “important decisions” had become necessary while Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the provincial government’s conduct was paving the way for the imposition of an emergency.
In a post on X, Khawaja Asif said the federal government was trying not to use governor’s rule as a last resort, but stressed that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could not be left at the mercy of terrorists.
“We have to ensure the security of the federal capital, and efforts are being made not to use the last option of governor’s rule,” he said, adding that the situation would determine whether the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would become a “political martyr”.
The defence minister accused the KP government of showing “indifference” towards terrorism while its leadership remained focused on what he described as a failed political long march.
He said the PTI-led provincial government was moving through the province for its political campaign while another wave of terrorism had hit KP.
Asif said five people, including two Customs officials, were killed in a terrorist attack in Dera Ismail Khan on October 6, but alleged that neither the chief minister nor the provincial cabinet had condemned the killings, visited the bereaved families or attended the victims’ funerals.
He said the people of KP had already shed too much blood and that the situation could no longer be allowed to continue.
“The time has come to take important decisions,” Asif said, arguing that the province could not be left at the mercy of what he called “incompetent and insensitive rulers”.
The defence minister also alleged that there were examples and evidence of the provincial government’s alleged links with facilitators of terrorists, saying the Pakistani people had witnessed such developments over the past three years.
Separately, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the KP government should cooperate with the federal government in dealing with terrorism and national security.
In a video statement, the minister said Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had publicly stated that his government would not cooperate with the Centre, adding that such an approach was creating a situation in which emergency could become necessary.
“The chief minister’s attitude is paving the way for imposing an emergency in the province,” Chaudhry said.
He warned Afridi that if he did not change his approach, he would himself be responsible for the consequences.
Chaudhry said the federal government had briefed the KP chief minister on matters relating to national security and urged the provincial administration to take concrete measures against terrorism.
He also claimed that there was no effective writ of the provincial government in 12 districts of KP.
The federal minister said Islamabad would not be allowed to be subjected to any “attack” and warned that the government would take all necessary measures to protect the capital.
The possibility of emergency in KP has been under discussion for days amid escalating tensions between the Centre and the PTI-led provincial government. Chaudhry had previously said the federal government was seriously considering imposing emergency under Article 232, citing the deteriorating security situation and the provincial government’s alleged failure to curb terrorism.
The dispute has intensified alongside the PTI’s long march on Islamabad. The march was launched from Lakki Marwat on October 4 after talks between the government and PTI failed to resolve differences over security, access to party founder Imran Khan and other demands. The convoy has since moved through Kohat towards Peshawar.
PPP joins criticism of KP government
In Peshawar, PPP parliamentary leader in the KP Assembly Ahmad Karim Kundi also criticised the provincial government, accusing it of not taking ownership of the war on terror and pursuing confrontation with the federal government.
Kundi said it was regrettable that the provincial cabinet had criticised PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and urged the KP leadership to focus on the province’s security situation rather than escalating political tensions with the Centre.
He said the Constitution required the province to follow federal policy in matters falling within the federal domain.
“What is the provincial government doing about the federal policy on the war on terror?” he asked, questioning whether the KP government was actually implementing the state’s counterterrorism policy.
Kundi accused the PTI government of failing to take ownership of the war on terror despite the province being at the forefront of militancy.
“Terrorism is once again raising its head in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said, adding that the provincial government was not taking ownership of the fight against terrorism.
He also questioned the use of funds provided to KP by the federal government for the war on terror.
