Federal emergency order now covers all of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, not just terror-hit districts

During a press conference in Islamabad, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar stated that the emergency proclamation invoked under Article 232 is applicable to the whole of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, not only the twelve districts most affected by terror incidents. He announced the creation of a special secretariat under the chief executive to provide targeted assistance to those districts. Tarar emphasized the need for harmonised counter-terrorism actions between federal and provincial agencies, citing a 195 percent surge in attacks between 2020-2024 and 2024-2026.

He criticized the PTI-led provincial administration for a “non-serious attitude” and claimed the federal move has been welcomed by the province’s residents. The minister also linked the emergency to a broader breakdown of law and order, arguing that separate provincial counter-terrorism policies are untenable.