Centre done mulling emergency, option to be availed if KP does not cooperate on counterterrorism: minister

Centre done mulling emergency, option to be availed if KP does not cooperate on counterterrorism: minister.

Key points

• News Desk Published October 9, 2026 Updated October 10, 2026 12: 08am.
• The minister continued that he had met with Jamiat Ulema-I-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
• The PTI doesn't even have consensus within their own party on whether they are ready to appoint Maulana Fazlur Rehman as an arbitrator for talks.
• "The matter of any decisive meeting is not final, nor has it been notified, " he remarked.
• Federal ministers have cited the security situation in KP in this connection with the possibility of a state of emergency in the province.

News Desk Published October 9, 2026 Updated October 10, 2026 12: 08am. Join our Whatsapp Channel.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry remarked on Friday that the Centre had finished deliberating on the imposition of an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, warning that a lack of provincial administration cooperation on counter-terrorism would lead it to enforce a state of emergency and then eradicate terrorism.

For context, the minister created these remarks on Geo New s programme ' Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath ', during which he additionally refused to confirm reports that a high-level session was anticipated on Saturday to decide on the imposition of an emergency in KP.

In practice, the Centre has cautioned the PTI-led KP administration in recent days of sending it packing through an emergency or governor's rule as the party goes ahead with a protest march to demand the release of its jailed founder, Imran Khan. Federal ministers have cited the security situation in KP in this connection with the possibility of a state of emergency in the province.

Regarding the reports that the administration was considering implementing an emergency in 12 districts of KP, he stated, "The reality is that the administration has completed its deliberation regarding the implementation of an emergency. Now it is in the hands of the KP administration what role it plays in this regard."

In practice, the Centre and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) had to end terrorism in KP no matter what, he remarked, adding that it would be better if provincial administration were to cooperate and play a part in this.

"But if they don't want to get involved, then our other option is that after imposing an emergency, terrorism be wiped out, terrorists be eradicated – and as for that Article 232. It is for the whole province, not just 12 districts, " he continued.

On the matter of these districts "extremely affected by terrorism", Chaudhry remarked that "extraordinary measures are the need of the hour".

When questioned, he categorically stated that the consideration of imposing an emergency had "definitively no relation" to the PTI's ongoing long march, adding that the simultaneous occurrence of the long march and the mulling of an emergency declaration "could be a coincidence", nevertheless.

As an increasing number of police and LEA personnel were being martyred in the province, rather, he remarked, the Centre's deliberations on imposing an emergency had been ongoing for a long time. He asserted that numerous efforts had been created to bring the KP administration on board to play their role, but they were instead "standing like a wall" in front of the Centre's peace efforts.

"There is a cutoff point, at which one has to decide that the final and decisive elimination of terrorists must be done, " the minister remarked.

Although he remarked no decision had been produced regarding a date for the "cutoff". Chaudhry continued that the federal administration had reached the conclusion that further delay in the fight against terrorism was not feasible: "Terrorists cannot be given more time to keep carrying out these actions against citizens' lives and properties and against LEAs."

Nevertheless, he emphasised that the final decision had definitely been produced to take "decisive action to end terrorism in KP".

Notably, the minister continued that he had met with Jamiat Ulema-I-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. This person is stated to have offered to play a role in breaking the deadlock in negotiations between the PTI and federal administration. While noting that the "ball is in the KP government's court", he stated that this option was present.

"The PTI doesn't even have consensus within their own party on whether they are ready to appoint Maulana Fazlur Rehman as an arbitrator for talks. So how can negotiations move forward?" he remarked.

He continued, even so, the door for negotiations and dialogue among political parties "never closes permanently", and that assurance of cooperation from PTI leadership regarding counterterrorism efforts was the "foundation for a permanent solution".

For now, centre done mulling emergency, option to be availed if KP does not remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.