PM vows to bring back progress to KP, assails PTI's 'callousness' during its tenures

Dawn · 22/10/2026، 5:07:32 PM

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday vowed that the federal government, which now runs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under governor’s rule, would make every effort possible to “bring back” progress to the province. He made the remarks while chairing a meeting of the apex committee in Peshawar, where he arrived earlier in the day on his first visit to the province since the imposition of governor’s rule and the declaration of emergency on Oct 11. The meeting, attended by Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, reviewed KP’s overall security situation. Federal ministers and newly appointed provincial advisers were also present. Addressing the committee, PM Shehbaz reiterated that emergency and governor’s rule had to be imposed “under extreme compulsion”. “I promise that we will leave no stone unturned in bringing back the happiness and era of progress to this province, and in the practical realisation of the wishes, aspirations, and dreams of this province’s people that have been shattered due to the worst actions of recent years,” he said. The prime minister affirmed that the Centre “will place all possible resources at your feet”. He added that himself, the Advisory Council led by the governor, the president and the CDF “will ensure that this province, once again, not only matches the other provinces in the race for development, but I would be extremely happy if it moves even further ahead”. The prime minister regretted that “terrorists were summoned back here” after peace had been established, “washing down all sacrifices down the drain”. “There can be no greater enmity with the country than not honouring and respecting such sacrifices, not holding them in esteem,” he remarked, highlighting that young soldiers left their homes and families to defend their country. The premier called for an “all-encompassing analysis as to why this happened”, adding that there was “no worse callousness, criminal negligen