Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar defends emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as anti-terror measure
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the emergency and governor’s rule imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were aimed at combating terrorism, not political maneuvering.
A day after Islamabad imposed emergency powers and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told a seminar that the measures were driven solely by the need to fight terrorism, not by partisan motives. He cited the PTI-led provincial administration’s purported failure to confront militants as the Cabinet’s rationale for the action under Articles 232 and 234. Dar reminded listeners of past political costs the ruling PML-N endured during the 2022 fiscal crisis, emphasizing that tough decisions were sometimes unavoidable.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also defended the federal response, pointing to Afghan-based terrorist safe havens and the presence of thousands of TTP fighters across the border. The government has deployed army units, blocked roads in Peshawar with containers, and increased police presence, while accusing the Afghan interim authorities of ignoring Pakistan’s appeals to dismantle terrorist networks.
Why it matters
The justification of emergency rule in a key province highlights Pakistan's internal security challenges and its strained relations with Afghanistan.
How this story developed
- Oct 2 Government and PTI opposition pause talks as Oct 4 march looms over Islamabad
- Oct 3 PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari claimed the centre was ready to declare emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but urged a political solution to terrorism.
- Oct 4 The march progressed to Karak district while government‑opposition talks remained ongoing.
- Oct 9 The march entered its fifth day, with the convoy moving through Mattani and planning further stops.
- Oct 11 Federal cabinet met to weigh emergency rule for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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