Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, addressing a press conference alongside Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, said emergency measures applied across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), rather than being limited to 12 districts.
He explained that a special mechanism had been introduced for the 12 districts, including additional measures under the provincial chief executive and the establishment of a dedicated secretariat to provide assistance.
At the outset of the briefing, the law minister highlighted a reported surge in terrorist incidents in the province, citing a 195 per cent increase. He said 8,600 terrorist attacks had been recorded during 2024–2026, compared with 2,900 during 2020–2024.
Azam stressed the need to harmonise counterterrorism efforts by federal and provincial agencies, describing coordination as standard practice internationally.
“All these arrangements are made to run the country in a way that people feel safe,” he said, adding that what he termed the “non-serious” attitude of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government could no longer continue.
The law minister also recalled allegations that the PTI had used government resources during an earlier march towards the federal capital. He said governor’s rule and emergency measures had not been discussed at that time.
Describing the security situation in KP, Azam said provincial police personnel and armed forces deployed in the region had come under attack, while civilians had also lost their lives.
He argued that the increase in militant activity and reports of attacks made it impossible for the authorities to ignore the situation.
Azam said the federal government had maintained continuous engagement with provincial authorities before making its decision. However, he claimed that the provincial government’s response had been inadequate, suggesting that political considerations had taken precedence over the national interest.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed that residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had welcomed the federal government’s decision to introduce governor’s rule and emergency measures, saying the move had given them hope.
He argued that widespread public support for the PTI’s position would have resulted in large-scale demonstrations in its favour.
Tarar reiterated that the federal government’s actions were not driven by political hostility towards the PTI-led provincial administration but were intended to establish a unified counterterrorism policy.
“You cannot have a government in the country that sympathises with terrorists, supports terrorism or has a policy that enables terrorists to carry out their operational actions,” he said.
Questioning the possibility of maintaining separate counterterrorism approaches within one country, the information minister referred to Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, saying the provisions had been included to address circumstances such as the current situation.
He cited what he described as a complete breakdown of law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as justification for the federal government’s actions.
