PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s decision to impose emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has intensified debate over public safety, provincial governance and political accountability, placing the federal government under pressure to demonstrate that extraordinary intervention can deliver lasting peace.
The move comes amid concerns about militant attacks, extortion and threats to families, police personnel and security forces across the province. For residents, the central question is whether the change will make schools, workplaces and neighbourhoods safer.
President Asif Ali Zardari imposed emergency rule on October 11, suspending the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf provincial administration.
Federal authorities cited deteriorating security and alleged inadequate provincial cooperation against militancy.
In this regard, the PTI rejected that justification, describing the intervention as politically motivated and accusing Islamabad of withholding resources.
The competing positions have sharpened an already strained relationship between the centre and PTI.
The province experienced terrorism long before PTI took office in 2013. Operation Zarb-e-Azb, launched in June 2014, formed part of a wider campaign against militant networks, involving substantial sacrifices by security personnel and displacement for civilian communities.
The supplied commentary cites figures attributed to the South Asia Terrorism Portal showing terrorism-related incidents falling from 504 in 2013 to 73 in 2018, before rising in subsequent years. Its precise annual totals require independent verification before publication.
Renewed violence has also drawn attention to negotiations with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and proposals to resettle militants following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
The commentary also refers to an October 9 report describing complaints from Pakistani businessmen in Japan whose families live in Peshawar, Swabi and nearby areas.
In this sense, the callers claiming affiliation with the TTP demanded money and threatened relatives in Pakistan.
These accounts require investigation, including verification of the callers’ identities and protection for complainants.
Public Safety Becomes the Central Test
Federal authorities now face demands to strengthen policing, protect educational institutions and improve cooperation among security agencies. Transparent reporting on attacks, investigations and public services would help residents assess progress.
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Alongside security measures, employment, functioning hospitals and uninterrupted education remain essential priorities. The intervention’s outcome will ultimately be judged through daily life: whether children attend school safely, workers return home without fear and families receive effective protection against violence and intimidation.
