K-P's terror surge

Terrorist incidents in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa surged by almost 200% between March 2024 and September 2026, with police and security personnel targeted in 73% of attacks recorded this year. One of the most concerning findings in the government security reports recently shared with the federal cabinet was that terrorist drone attacks more than doubled in the past year, reaching 170 in 2026.

The federal government and security forces responded to the security situation with increased intelligence-based operations, eliminating hundreds of terrorists and disrupting militant networks across K-P. If only all parts of the government were working together, the results might have been even better. Unfortunately, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government, especially its top leadership, has been preoccupied with political activity and rallies in other parts of the country, rather than governing.

Even late in the game, when the federal cabinet was considering emergency measures, the provincial government seemed more focused on planning rallies. Even the security reports explicitly blamed the K-P government's "flawed policies and its soft approach towards militants" for enabling terrorist elements to establish a foothold. More than 9,000 police posts remain vacant, the Safe City project is confined to Peshawar, and the CTD faces severe shortages of weapons and trained personnel. The chief minister also insisted on negotiating with terrorists, which directly undermined the federal government and security establishment.

The situation now is remarkably different, as the federal government has taken K-P's elected leadership off the board. Going forward, Islamabad will bear full responsibility for improving security in K-P, as it will have direct control of the provincial security apparatus. We can only hope that the unfortunate series of events that has led us here can be reversed, and K-P sees some semblance of security again.