Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Sunday unveiled the K-P counterterrorism plan, a Rs70 billion programme to rebuild the province’s police and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), saying security comes first and a lack of political ownership had weakened earlier efforts, The Express Tribune reported.
The plan, presented at Governor House in Peshawar, sets aside Rs59.8 billion for the police and Rs10.3 billion for the CTD. Immediate measures are due within 100 days, with a second set of targets within 180 days.
“The first, second and third priority of this government is security,” Kundi told journalists, repeating words Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had used in a previous cabinet meeting.
What the K-P counterterrorism plan will buy
Police fortification is to reach 75 per cent, surveillance coverage to rise from 15 to 60 per cent, night-fighting capacity from 18 to 50 per cent, and anti-drone capability from one to 50 per cent. Armoured police vehicles rise from 19 to 45 per cent and armoured personnel carriers from 61 to 80 per cent. For the CTD, counter-drone and fighting capability rises from 52 to 60 per cent, vehicle availability from 50 to 80 per cent, vehicle armouring from 16 to 70 per cent, and jammer availability from three to 50 per cent, while a 79 per cent shortfall in protective equipment is eliminated. The plan also covers District Nerve Centres in 10 districts, anti-drone systems in three vulnerable districts, a Safe City Authority law, faceless anti-terrorism courts, and artificial intelligence to monitor social media.
The shortages behind the plan
The plan responds to shortages set out at the same Governor House briefing series, which we reported earlier today when the province pledged to fill 17,000 vacant police posts. The police also face a 36 per cent shortage of vehicles, and only 12 per cent of the force has anti-drone systems. Of the 15,186 former Khassadar personnel absorbed into the police after the merger, many lacked adequate training. In 2026 up to September, 255 soldiers, 302 police personnel and 304 civilians were killed, while security forces had killed 3,788 terrorists over three years. The cost remains visible in regular attacks, including the bomb disposal official killed in Upper South Waziristan on Saturday.
Merged districts and the funding dispute
Kundi noted that no police line had been established in the merged districts since the merger, and the previous government had given them only 3.2 per cent of its security budget. Police there still work from temporary arrangements nearly eight years on.
Kundi clarified that the 2018 merger commitment was Rs100 billion a year over 10 years, not Rs1,000 billion a year. He said the federal government might not have paid in full, but the previous provincial government had failed to pursue it. He said 70 per cent of the funding would go to the merged districts and the 12 districts facing security challenges.
Rs45 billion is allocated in the provincial budget for the relevant areas, and Rs30 billion more is expected from the federal security package. The province had asked for Rs160 billion, which the prime minister backed.
A harder line on militancy
Kundi said the province’s security policy would follow the federal government. “Our decisions and policies will come from Islamabad, not Jalalabad, Kandahar or Kabul,” he said. He accused the Afghan Taliban government of letting its territory be used by India and Israel against Pakistan. Pakistan has already rejected Afghan claims over Angoor Adda and the army chief has vowed a hard response against Indian-sponsored outfits.
“There can be no dialogue with those who do not recognise the state, the Constitution and the law,” Kundi said. “Those who take up arms against the state will be answered in the same language.” He rejected narratives that portrayed the fight against terrorism as someone else’s war. “This is absolutely our war,” he said.
Kundi recalled the Apex Committee meetings on security and said restoring public confidence was essential, recalling the 2008-2013 campaign and public support for operations in Swat.
“Once people’s confidence is restored, half the battle will have been won,” Kundi said. He added that the government would not retreat from its counterterrorism efforts.
The government also approved compensation for police killed in the line of duty and faster recruitment through the Public Service Commission.
Frequently asked questions
How many police posts are vacant in K-P?
10,537 police personnel and 638 CTD field operators. A separate announcement put total vacant police posts at 17,000.
How much will the plan cost?
Rs70 billion in total: Rs59.8 billion for the police and Rs10.3 billion for the Counter Terrorism Department. Of the police share, Rs33.4 billion is for infrastructure and Rs26.4 billion for procurement.
What are faceless anti-terrorism courts?
Courts proposed under the plan in which the identities of judges, witnesses, police personnel and others stay confidential during hearings, so terrorism cases can be concluded more quickly. Officials said witnesses in terrorism cases fear coming forward.
When will the plan’s targets be met?
Immediate measures are due within 100 days, with a second set of targets within 180 days. Longer-term projects will be started in that period but could take more time.
