By Staff Reporter
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has agreed to set up a special sub-committee to oversee development projects and monitor any military operations in restive districts, following a high-level security meeting amid a surge in violence, officials said on Tuesday.
The decision came during talks at the Corps Headquarters in Peshawar, where federal and provincial leaders reviewed the security situation in the northwestern province bordering Afghanistan. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the national security adviser and the Peshawar corps commander attended the meeting, along with senior civil and military officials, according to a government handout.
Participants began by paying tribute to civilians and security personnel killed in terrorist attacks, the statement said. The gathering also resolved to implement a provincial governance model in Malakand Division, supervised by police and other provincial institutions, with plans to extend it in phases to affected districts including Khyber, Orakzai and Kurram.
To ensure effective monitoring of development projects and review of any security operations in those areas, the special sub-committee will be formed under Chief Minister Afridi’s leadership and hold monthly meetings, the handout added. The panel will include elected public representatives, the Peshawar corps commander, the provincial chief secretary, the inspector general of police, other provincial officials and federal institution representatives.
It will also focus on creating alternative employment opportunities, ensuring steady income for locals and addressing issues faced by temporarily displaced persons, according to the statement. The meeting emphasized effective communication between the federal government and the province, complete coordination and a united stance on key policy matters to tackle terrorism.
Further decisions included promoting sustainable employment to deter youth from extremist ideologies, cracking down on illegal SIM cards, explosive materials and extortion, and phased profiling of non-custom paid vehicles.
The moves follow last week’s apex committee meeting, which stressed consultation, cooperation and coordination with the federal government and all political parties as essential for a comprehensive counter-terrorism policy. That panel discussed the general rise in terrorism incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and an action plan to eradicate what it called the menace of Fitna al Khawarij and establish complete peace and stability.
Violence in the province escalated sharply last year, with fatalities rising from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025, according to the Annual Security Report 2025 from the Centre for Research and Security Studies. In a video statement, Chief Minister Afridi’s aide for public relations, Shafi Jan, said the meeting included a briefing on the security situation and decisions on law and order as well as the economy. Detailing security aspects, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Law Minister Aftab Alam said it was unanimously decided that in Malakand Division, the Pakistan Army would hand over responsibilities to law enforcement agencies, the Counter-Terrorism Department and police.
He described it as a major decision and good news for the province’s people, especially in Malakand, calling it an achievement for the provincial government, civilian and military leadership in restoring peace. “This is also the restoration of trust in our police,” Alam said. He added that a meeting of all political stakeholders would be summoned, where civilian and military leaders would take them into confidence and implement their recommendations. Alam also noted that agreements from the last provincial apex committee would be ensured before the federal Apex Committee’s meeting and endorsed there.
Jan said it was decided to hand over local services to civil administration as law and order improves in certain districts. On the economic front, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Finance Muzzammil Aslam said the meeting occurred in an extremely pleasant environment .He said participants were informed in detail about financial issues facing the provincial government, as outlined by Chief Minister Afridi in a January letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a meeting last week.
Aslam expressed regret that the absence of a new National Finance Commission Award had left many issues unresolved. “We also told them that due to the reduced money coming from the Centre, the KP government was contributing from its funds for the merged districts, but it was insufficient,” he said, adding that suggestions were made to improve the situation. Those recommendations will be presented to the federal government to secure maximum relief for the province, Aslam said.
He added that assurances were given on providing alternative arrangements for people whose livelihoods were affected by operations and trade disruptions with Afghanistan. The meeting also discussed how the federal and provincial governments would jointly compensate affected people financially.
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