Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached Peshawar on Thursday, his first visit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since the Centre imposed governor’s rule and emergency in the province on October 11. Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office said the premier will chair the apex committee on terrorism during the visit.
The Shehbaz Sharif Peshawar visit carries weight beyond protocol. It is the first time the prime minister has travelled to the province since the Centre took over its administration, citing the PTI-led provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism.
Shehbaz Sharif Peshawar visit: apex committee session tops the agenda
According to PMO sources, the centrepiece of the visit is a meeting of the apex committee on terrorism. The committee brings together federal and provincial officials, and its session in Peshawar is expected to review the security situation across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The visit comes at a tense moment. Parliament endorsed the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule last week, amid strong protests by the opposition. Federal ministers have argued that the province’s security situation made the step unavoidable, and some have alleged that the former PTI-led government had a “nexus” with terrorist groups.
The PTI has rejected those claims. It says the party was being left out of security decisions concerning KP, which the Centre denies. The party’s internal strains surfaced publicly when its leaders traded barbs after the protest drive faltered. It also called for a review of the counterterrorism policy and objected to the provincial government’s stance on dialogue with the Afghan Taliban.
Background: how KP reached this point
The October 11 decision followed weeks of confrontation. The PTI, which ran the KP government and sits in opposition at the Centre, launched a mobilisation drive and a protest march to demand the release of its jailed founder, Imran Khan.
Intense negotiations between the two sides a week before the governor’s rule was imposed failed to produce results, with counterterrorism policy among the main reasons behind the breakdown. Soon after the takeover, the Centre also authorised the deployment of Pakistan Army troops and assets in aid of civil power in KP.
The political standoff in the province has continued since. PTI lawmakers have backed talks aimed at restoring the KP government, while the courts are seized of related matters, including the detention case of Imran Khan’s sisters. An earlier PTI protest march in Swabi also drew a sharp response from the Centre.
Why the visit matters for KP
For readers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the visit is the clearest signal yet of how the Centre intends to run the province during governor’s rule. An apex committee session chaired by the prime minister himself suggests that security policy, not routine administration, will dominate the agenda.
The original element here is the timing. The prime minister chose to travel to Peshawar and chair the terrorism committee in person only days after Parliament endorsed the emergency, which indicates the Centre wants visible federal ownership of the security file in KP. Watch for any announcements on operations or development funds after the session, since those details were not part of the PMO briefing.
Dawn first reported the visit, citing PMO sources, and described it as a developing story with more details to follow.
Frequently asked questions
Why is PM Shehbaz visiting Peshawar now?
It is his first visit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since governor’s rule and emergency were imposed on October 11, and he will chair the apex committee on terrorism there.
What is the apex committee?
It is the top forum where federal and provincial officials coordinate counterterrorism policy and review the security situation.
Why was governor’s rule imposed in KP?
The Centre cited the former PTI-led provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the anti-terror fight, a claim the PTI rejects. Parliament endorsed the move last week.
