Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced Rs160 billion in development funding for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), pledging federal support to improve security, accelerate development and address the province’s pressing economic and public service challenges under governor’s rule.
Chairing a meeting of the provincial apex committee in Peshawar on Thursday, the prime minister said the federal government would make every effort to restore progress and prosperity in the province. He also announced measures to strengthen counterterrorism capabilities, complete Safe City projects and address wheat shortages.
The visit marked Shehbaz Sharif’s first trip to KP since the imposition of governor’s rule and the declaration of an emergency on October 11.
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, federal ministers and newly appointed provincial advisers attended the meeting, which reviewed the province’s overall security situation.
The prime minister said the decision to impose governor’s rule had been taken under what he described as extreme compulsion, citing security concerns and the need to address the province’s longstanding development challenges.
“I promise that we will leave no stone unturned in bringing back the happiness and era of progress to this province,” Shehbaz said, pledging that the federal government would provide the resources required to improve conditions for residents.
براہِ راست:وزیراعظم کی پشاور میں نیشنل ایکشن پلان کی صوبائی ایپکس کمیٹی کے اجلاس میں ابتدائی گفتگو https://t.co/Xy2NIzf6qw
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) October 22, 2026
He added that the federal government, the governor-led administration, the president and the military leadership would work to accelerate development and improve the province’s position compared with other parts of the country.
Rs800 Billion Previously Allocated for Counterterrorism
Shehbaz Sharif criticized gaps in the province’s security arrangements, saying 5,000 police vacancies had not been filled, Safe City projects remained incomplete and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) had not received sufficient capacity enhancements.
He also highlighted shortcomings in specialized police training, arguing that stronger personnel, equipment and institutional capabilities were necessary to address terrorism.
The prime minister recalled that all provinces had agreed under the 2010 National Finance Commission Award to provide additional resources to KP because of its frontline role in combating terrorism.
He said more than Rs800 billion had been provided or was being provided to the province under the relevant funding arrangements since 2010.
Despite these allocations, he questioned why the province continued to face security challenges and lacked adequate equipment and trained personnel to counter terrorist threats.
Shehbaz also recalled discussions with former chief ministers Ali Amin Gandapur and Sohail Afridi, saying he had assured their administrations of the federal government’s full support in counterterrorism efforts.
He said the breakdown of talks between the federal government and the provincial leadership on October 3 contributed to the decision to impose governor’s rule. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has opposed the federal takeover, disputing the government’s position on the province’s governance and security situation.
Federal Government Announces Wheat Supply Measures
Addressing a separate meeting of the Area Representative and Development Council (ARDC), which represents 12 districts facing serious security challenges, Shehbaz announced that the federal government would provide wheat from the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) stocks according to the province’s requirements.
He warned against hoarding and stressed that consumers should receive wheat at the price at which the federal government supplied it.
The ARDC includes 48 tribal elders and prominent personalities representing Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan, South Waziristan Upper and South Waziristan Lower.
The prime minister praised tribal elders for their support for Pakistan and said the council had an important responsibility to help address local development needs and security challenges.
He also promised action against corruption, referring to alleged irregularities involving Rs100 billion in the Cities Improvement Project’s clean drinking water component and Rs37 billion in the Kohistan District Accounts Office scandal.
Shehbaz said the government would work to ensure that development funds reached their intended beneficiaries and that provincial resources were used for public welfare.
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Governor Kundi Relaxes Police Vehicle Procurement Ban
Separately, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi announced that he had approved relaxation of the ban on police vehicle procurement to improve the force’s operational capabilities amid the province’s security challenges.
In a statement on X, Kundi said police personnel were on the front lines of protecting citizens and needed adequate vehicles and resources to respond effectively to security threats.
The prime minister also directed officials to strengthen the CTD and complete pending Safe City projects. He said the federal government would address obstacles affecting its development projects in the province, while the governor-led administration would work to resolve issues involving provincial initiatives.
Shehbaz expressed hope that coordinated efforts by the federal government, security institutions, local representatives and tribal elders would help restore peace and accelerate development across KP.
The announced funding and security measures place renewed emphasis on infrastructure, policing, food supplies and public services as the province faces continuing security and governance challenges.
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