Pakistan Imposes Emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amid Terror Surge

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar defended the Pakistani government's decision to impose a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to eliminate terrorism. Speaking at a counterterrorism seminar and an international conference in Islamabad, Dar stated that the government had no alternative but to implement the measure following a sharp rise in cross-border attacks. September 2026 recorded 225 militant attacks, the highest monthly total in 12 years, primarily affecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Dar warned the Afghan Taliban regime that it will face consequences if it continues to allow its territory to be used by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups. Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar supported these claims, citing assessments that over 20,000 terrorists are based in Afghanistan. The Pakistani government accused the Afghan authorities of failing to fulfill commitments and providing weapons and assistance to these groups.

To combat the threat, the government is implementing the Azm-e-Istehkam vision approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with security operations directed by Field Marshal Asim Munir. Dar also alleged that India supports terrorism within Pakistan, citing the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, and called for international cooperation through the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement to strengthen law enforcement capacity.