Govt was left with 'no option' but emergency, governor rule: PM Shehbaz

Addressing the PML-N’s parliamentaryparty meeting, the prime minister praised the “brave people” of K-P for their sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, saying the menace had been eradicated from the province by 2017 but resurfaced after the PTI came to power. “After that, terrorists had started returning to Swat.

They were given a free hand and brought back,” he said.

" میں آپ سب کا دل کی اتھاہ گہرائیوں سے شکر گزار ہوں کہ آپ میری درخواست پر یہاں تشریف لائے۔یہ ایک ایسا موقع ہے جب پاکستان کے صوبہ خیبر پختونخوا میں گزشتہ چند ماہ سے صورتِ حال انتہائی خراب، بلکہ دل خراش رہی ہے۔ یہ وہ صوبہ ہے جو پاکستان کے خوبصورت ترین صوبوں میں سے ایک ہے۔ وہاں کے…pic.twitter.com/of.

Qt3RAjqG— Government of Pakistan (@Govtof. Pakistan)October 13, 2026The prime minister stated that after the PTI formed the government in K-P in 2024, the federal government had made every effort over the past two and a half years to resolve issues through engagement.

The premier said meetings had been held with former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who was assured of the federal government's full support in the fight against terrorism, further adding that meetings had also been held with non-functional chief minister Sohail Afridi.

"2024 میں پی ٹی آئی کی حکومت بنی تو ان اڑھائی سالوں میں ہم نے حتی المقدور کوشش کی۔ ان کے سابق وزیراعلیٰ علی امین گنڈاپور سے ہماری کئی ملاقاتیں ہوئیں اور ہم نے ہر طریقے سے انہیں یہ باور کرانے کی کوشش کی کہ ہم آپ کے ساتھ چلنے کے لیے تیار ہیں۔ ملک کی ترقی اور خوشحالی کا یہ سفر ہمارا…pic.twitter.com/Ro8wUChZVq— Government of Pakistan (@Govtof.

Pakistan)October 13, 2026“Every day, our people, our armed forces and police personnel are being killed. There are daily sacrifices in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. If this brutality is not completely eliminated, the progress we have made over the past two and a half years will come to a halt,” he said.

PM Shehbaz said the government had made progress over the past two and a half years through a “unique partnership”. However, he added, if a provincial government was bent on dismantling that partnership, a political party was intent on destruction and stood in the way of the country's journey towards development, action would have to be taken.

Referring to his meeting with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director in New York, the premier said the lender's chief had praised Pakistan's recent reforms, describing the country as “a new Pakistan”.وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف نے مسلم لیگ (ن) کے پارلیمانی پارٹی کے اجلاس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ نیویارک میں آئی ایم ایف کی مینیجنگ ڈائریکٹر اور لندن میں سٹی بینک، جے پی مورگن سمیت عالمی مالیاتی اداروں کے نمائندوں سے ملاقاتوں میں پاکستان میں گزشتہ ڈھائی سال کے دوران ہونے والی…pic.twitter.com/od7hpNFK8U— Government of Pakistan (@Govtof.

Pakistan)October 13, 2026He said delegations from six leading banks had also appreciated the country's recent progress, although they had expressed reservations over incidents of terrorism in Pakistan.

The prime minister said that while terrorism was spreading and instability was being created, the PTI was devoting all its resources and time to political agitation, including long marches and sit-ins, instead of focusing on development and prosperity.

"یہ دھرنے اور لانگ مارچ، کون نہیں جانتا کہ گزشتہ سال اسلام آباد میں کیا ہوا؟ 2014 میں کئی مہینوں تک ڈی چوک خالی نہیں کیا گیا، وہاں گندے کپڑے دھوئے گئے اور قبریں کھودی گئیں۔ اسی دوران چینی صدر کا دورۂ پاکستان بھی مؤخر ہو گیا۔جب کوئی ملک کی ترقی روکنے پر تُلا ہو اور دہشت گردی کے…pic.twitter.com/3GSad2inec— Government of Pakistan (@Govtof.

Pakistan)October 13, 2026He added that the people of K-P had been waiting for development projects for 13 years, but the provincial government's time and resources had been consumed by long marches and sit-ins, further asking how any civilised society could tolerate this. “What option did we have in these circumstances?

Should we have sat back as silent spectators and, after everything had been destroyed, said that this was our fate? No, this is not our fate. God willing, we have to build Pakistan,” the PM said.

Read:Emergency, governor's rule imposed in K-P after president signs summary on PM Shehbaz's advice. The prime minister said that after the dialogue process collapsed, the government decided, following deliberations and consultations, to impose an emergency in the province.

Referring to the negotiations, PM Shehbaz said the final draft had been almost ready for signing after all the demands had been met.

However, at the last moment, the other side said it wanted to consult the K-P chief minister, he added, adding that “the rest is history”.وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف نے مسلم لیگ (ن) کے پارلیمانی پارٹی کے اجلاس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ پیپلز پارٹی اور مسلم لیگ (ن) کے نمائندوں کی شرکت سے دن رات مذاکرات جاری رہے اور معاہدے کا متفقہ مسودہ بھی تیار ہو گیا، تاہم آخری مرحلے میں مذاکرات ناکام ہو گئے۔بعد ازاں مولانا فضل…pic.twitter.com/slo3ivqyoS— Government of Pakistan (@Govtof.

Pakistan)October 13, 2026The prime minister said that after a two-and-a-half-hour cabinet meeting attended by representatives of all coalition partners, the government decided to impose an emergency and governor's rule in K-P.“We decided that this is the moment when we must stop waiting any longer to save Pakistan, otherwise, everything will burn, and we will be left wringing our hands,” he said.

Read More: 'Govt can't keep sleeping when it comes to citizens' security': DPM Dar on K-P emergency, governor's rule. The premier said the government had been compelled to decide to impose an emergency because “Pakistan comes first”, adding that nothing was more important than the country's progress and survival.

The prime minister further stated that an emergency and governor's rule had now been imposed in K-P and an advisory council comprising experts and professionals had been formed.

The council included doctors, educationists and financial experts, he added.وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف نے مسلم لیگ (ن) کے پارلیمانی پارٹی کے اجلاس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ خیبرپختونخوا میں ایک ایڈوائزری کونسل قائم کی گئی ہے جس میں ماہرین، پیشہ ور افراد، ڈاکٹرز، ماہرین تعلیم اور مالیاتی امور کے ماہرین شامل ہیں۔ حکومت کی کوشش ہے کہ صوبے میں بنیادی سہولیات کی…pic.twitter.com/TmMMoOIydn— Government of Pakistan (@Govtof.

Pakistan)October 13, 2026He noted that the people of K-P were proud and hospitable and the decision had been taken solely to restore their happiness, development and dignity. PM's meeting with parliamentary delegation.

Earlier, the prime minister took delegations of Pakistan Muslim League (Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Zia) into confidence over the government’s decision to impose emergency and governors' rule in K-P during a meeting at the prime minister’s office.وزیراعظم شہباز شریف سے پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ق)، بلوچستان عوامی پارٹی، استحکام پاکستان پارٹی اور مسلم لیگ (ضیاء) کے پارلیمانی وفد سے ملاقاتوزیراعظم کا کہنا تھا کہ گزشتہ کئی سالوں سے خیبر پختونخوا میں پاک افواج، سیکیورٹی فورسز اور پولیس کے کئی اہلکاروں نے جامِ شہادت نوش کیا اور…pic.twitter.com/ip.

Moqe1DYX— Government of Pakistan (@Govtof. Pakistan)October 13, 2026PM Shehbaz explained the reasons behind the federal government’s decisions, stating that the conduct of the PTI government in the province and its failure to adopt an unequivocal stance against terrorism had posed risks to Pakistan’s growing economy.

The premier noted that the provincial government had neither clearly condemned terrorism nor taken effective action against terrorist groups. Referring to the sacrifices of security personnel, he said numerous members of the Pakistan armed forces, security forces and police had laid down their lives over the past several years while defending the country.

PM Shehbaz said the federal government had provided more than Rs800 billion to K-P under the National Finance Commission (NFC) arrangements to support efforts against terrorism. However, he said the provincial government had failed to take effective measures to strengthen the capacity of its Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and establish Safe City projects to improve its counterterrorism capabilities.

During the meeting with a parliamentary delegation, the premier said an impartial technocratic advisory council had been established to assist the governor in improving law and order, strengthening the economy and eliminating terrorism in the province.

The parliamentary delegation expressed its support for the federal government amid the prevailing situation and appreciated the prime minister’s leadership during what it described as difficult circumstances. The delegation also said the people of K-P had remained deprived of adequate development in health, education and infrastructure during the PTI’s tenure in the province.

It expressed confidence that, with the federal government’s cooperation, development and prosperity in K-P would advance in line with other parts of the country.