FOLLOWING emergency measures and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan’s federal government has empowered the governor to administer the province with an 11-member advisory council. Yet transferring authority is only an administrative step. The real test is whether security and governance improve. Failure could damage Islamabad’s credibility while giving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) a political lifeline, shifting attention from its provincial record. Relations deteriorated after a protest march backed by provincial authorities. On 11 October 2026, Islamabad imposed emergency measures and governor’s rule and approved troop deployment. It cites PTI’s failure to contain terrorism, cooperate with state institutions and confront militants; PTI calls the intervention undemocratic and an infringement on provincial autonomy. Articles 232 and 234 of Pakistan’s Constitution provide for distinct emergency and federal interventions. Whether their conditions have been met remains contested; these arrangements must not permanently replace democratic government.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has endured militancy, unemployment, economic hardship and administrative weakness. Civilians and security personnel have paid heavily. According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, terrorism-related violence and counterterrorism operations killed 319 security personnel and 251 civilians in the first nine months of 2026; 1,132 militants were also killed. During the same period in 2025, 327 security personnel and 188 civilians died. Provincial police recorded 122 officials killed and 175 injured in the first half of 2026, compared with 63 killed and 84 injured a year earlier. Senior military and police officers, including lieutenant colonels, majors, captains, police superintendents and deputy superintendents, have also been killed. One research institute recorded 54 abductions in 2024 and 127 in 2025. Eight police personnel, including a station house officer, were abducted in South Waziristan in June 2026 and later recovered. Assistant Commissioner Shah Wali Khan was killed in December 2025, while an Election Commission Director General was shot dead in Tank. Such attacks threaten public safety and state authority. Provincial leaders had a duty to cooperate with security institutions and put lives before political disputes. When confrontation obstructs cooperation, civilians and frontline personnel pay the price.
PTI has governed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa since 2013, except during caretaker periods. Its performance in education, healthcare, jobs, local government, policing and administrative reform demands scrutiny. Many problems persist, while energy has gone into confrontation with Islamabad. Rallies cannot replace services. After 13 years, PTI must substantiate its reform claims, acknowledge failures and answer for its decisions rather than blaming Islamabad alone. Leadership choices matter too. Mobilizing supporters and confronting federal authorities should not outweigh administrative competence and crisis management in choosing a chief minister. A government consumed by confrontation risks neglecting those it serves.
Peaceful protest and dissent are democratic rights, but unlawful use of public resources, unjustified disruption, property damage and violence cannot be excused as activism. Equally, Islamabad must not suppress peaceful protests or legitimate demands by force. Standards should apply equally to both sides. Disputes over Imran Khan’s imprisonment, family and legal access and medical care have heightened tensions. Every detainee deserves legal protections. Following a prison visit, his sister, Dr. Uzma Khan, described his physical condition as stable, while other PTI figures voiced more serious concerns. Independent assessments, not conflicting political claims, should guide judgments. Exaggerating illness is irresponsible; dismissing genuine concerns is equally wrong. Social media has expanded political participation but also amplified misinformation, abusive attacks and inflammatory rhetoric. Criticism of politicians and institutions is a right; threats and incitement are not. Enforcement must rest on law, evidence, judicial oversight and consistency, never the suppression of dissent.
Governor’s rule requires more than appointments. Islamabad should publish objectives, responsibilities, deadlines and a timetable for restoring constitutional government. Progress must be measured through fewer attacks, stronger policing, better services, development and tangible improvements in daily life. Public reporting on incidents and services would permit scrutiny; excluding elected representatives and local institutions could weaken stability. Security gains require public trust and accountable institutions. If the intervention succeeds, it may restore confidence. If it fails, PTI could portray itself as a victim of federal overreach rather than answer for its provincial record. Heavy-handed measures have sometimes generated sympathy for opposition parties in Pakistan. This political risk makes Islamabad accountable for outcomes, not merely a change of officeholders.
All parties in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa should move beyond point-scoring, agree on security priorities and support lawful, constructive peace initiatives while criticizing shortcomings with evidence. Public safety is a shared obligation, not a partisan prize. Cooperation need not end scrutiny. PTI should prioritize parliament, dialogue and accountability over constant confrontation. Islamabad must hear legitimate grievances, protect detainees’ rights and remain open to negotiation. Residents need safety, jobs, schools, healthcare and empowered local institutions. Governor’s rule must be judged by results and timely restoration of elected government, not speeches. Success means neither PTI’s defeat nor Islamabad’s triumph, but safer communities, stronger democracy and lasting peace.
—The writer is Barrister, based in Canada.