Shehbaz briefs Nawaz on K-P security and the economy at a meeting at Jati Umra in Lahore on Sunday, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif set out the security situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the government’s economic reform agenda, as power bills rise and the province’s security challenge deepens.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also attended the meeting. The Prime Minister’s Office said the two leaders held detailed consultations on national political matters and steps to improve the economy.
Nawaz was briefed on the government’s ongoing reforms, with a focus on the economy, the challenges facing the country and the measures being taken to address them. The federal government is handling a security emergency in K-P and rising energy costs at the same time.
Shehbaz briefs Nawaz on K-P security
The briefing covered a province under emergency rule. The federal government imposed emergency and governor’s rule in K-P on October 11, after President Asif Ali Zardari approved the summary on the prime minister’s advice under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution.
Under it, the chief minister, cabinet members, advisers and advocate general ceased to hold office, while the governor assumed federal powers. The Pakistan Army was deployed to assist the civil administration under Article 245, and Dr Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan was appointed chief secretary. An 11-member advisory council was formed to assist the governor, and a separate administrative arrangement was announced for 12 districts to be placed directly under the federation.
The scale of the challenge was set out a day earlier in Peshawar. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said the province had planned Rs70 billion for the police and Rs10.3 billion for the Counter Terrorism Department this financial year. Plans include anti-drone systems in Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat and Bannu, and filling about 17,000 vacant police posts.
Security reports presented to the federal cabinet recorded that terrorist incidents in the province rose by 195 per cent between March 2024 and September 2026. The reports also recorded 170 drone attacks against police and security forces in 2026, compared with none in 2024. Attacks on police in Tank and Bannu have continued in recent days.
The legal challenge to the emergency has also moved forward. The Peshawar High Court struck off petitions against governor’s rule, leaving the federal arrangement in place.
The economic strain
The meeting also covered the rising cost of power. The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority notified a Rs2.36 per-unit increase on Saturday under the monthly fuel cost adjustment for September. The rate for the incremental consumption package had already been set at Rs25.30 per unit under a separate decision.
The higher costs come amid expensive LNG imports and uncertainty over supplies. Pakistan was expected to spend about $1.29 billion on 22 LNG cargoes between November 2026 and February 2027, including 10 spot-market cargoes estimated to cost $863 million.
The Power Division has warned that fuel price adjustments could rise two to three times between December and February as international LNG and coal prices increase and hydropower generation declines during winter. It cautioned that consumers could face a further financial burden, alongside more load management.
Why the two agendas met in one room
The meeting joined two problems that the federal government must handle together. K-P needs money, personnel and equipment for its police and counter-terrorism effort, while the centre must also fund fuel imports and manage power prices for the whole country.
The briefing gave Nawaz Sharif a full picture of both. The prime minister set out the reform agenda, the security situation and the economic steps under way, with Dar and Maryam Nawaz present for the discussion. What follows will depend on whether the K-P security plan and the winter energy plan both hold through the coming months.
Frequently asked questions
Where did Shehbaz Sharif meet Nawaz Sharif?
The meeting took place at Jati Umra in Lahore on Sunday. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also attended.
What did they discuss?
The prime minister briefed Nawaz Sharif on the security situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the country’s economic challenges and the government’s reform agenda.
What is the security situation in K-P?
Emergency and governor’s rule have been in force since October 11. Incidents rose 195 per cent between March 2024 and September 2026, with 170 drone attacks on police and security forces in 2026.
How much has the power price risen?
Nepra notified a Rs2.36 per-unit increase on Saturday under the monthly fuel cost adjustment for September. The Power Division has warned adjustments could rise two to three times between December and February.
What is the LNG import bill?
Pakistan was expected to spend about $1.29 billion on 22 LNG cargoes between November 2026 and February 2027, including 10 spot-market cargoes estimated to cost $863 million.
