No choice but to act: Dar defends KP emergency

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has defended the federal government’s decision to impose governor’s rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), saying the move was necessary to protect citizens from terrorism. He maintained that public safety could not be compromised for political reasons and stressed that the government had a responsibility to act wherever the lives of Pakistanis were threatened.

Addressing a conference on Pakistan’s evolving counter-terrorism landscape in Islamabad on Monday, Dar said the government had concluded that there was no alternative to the measures taken in the province. He rejected the impression that the decision was politically motivated, arguing that KP had faced persistent security challenges for more than a decade.

The federal government imposed governor’s rule in KP on Sunday after President Asif Ali Zardari approved Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice under Article 234 of the Constitution. The decision came amid growing tensions between the federal government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial administration over counter-terrorism efforts. PTI has rejected the move as unconstitutional and vowed to resist it.

Dar said the government was prepared to bear the political consequences of difficult decisions if they helped protect lives, property and the national economy. Referring to previous economic measures taken to prevent Pakistan from defaulting, he said the government had repeatedly prioritised national interests despite the political costs.

He expressed hope that the latest measures would improve security in KP over the coming weeks and months. He said the government’s objectives included restoring peace, protecting civilians and preventing the spread of radicalisation.

The deputy prime minister also recalled the government’s engagement with political opponents during the 126-day sit-in in Islamabad in 2014. He said political differences had never prevented dialogue, but maintained that security concerns required decisive action when circumstances demanded it.

Dar said Pakistan had suffered enormous losses because of terrorism, with the economic damage exceeding $150 billion. He noted that the figure was higher than Pakistan’s total external debt, which he put at $130 billion. He added that the consequences extended beyond financial losses, damaging the country’s international reputation and depriving it of economic and development opportunities.

Recalling attacks on civilians, including the Army Public School massacre in Peshawar, bombings at mosques and markets, attacks on public transport and the killing of workers, Dar said the nation continued to pay a heavy price for terrorism. He stressed that the victims included ordinary citizens as well as members of the security forces.

He said counter-terrorism had become a national priority, with renewed efforts to implement the National Action Plan and improve coordination between civilian and military institutions. The Federal Apex Committee, he added, had brought key leadership together to assess threats and formulate responses.

Dar also highlighted the Azm-e-Istehkam initiative, which he said was approved by the prime minister with the support of the provinces and other stakeholders. The initiative seeks to coordinate military operations, intelligence gathering, law enforcement and diplomatic engagement while addressing factors that contribute to extremism.

He said the government was also working to strengthen intelligence-sharing arrangements and improve the role of the National Counter Terrorism Authority. He called for closer cooperation between the federal and provincial governments, stressing that counter-terrorism required a united national response.

Paying tribute to the armed forces and law enforcement agencies, Dar praised their efforts against terrorist networks. He also commended Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir for his role in the country’s security efforts, saying personnel continued to confront threats at considerable personal risk.

Turning to relations with Afghanistan, Dar said Pakistan had made repeated diplomatic efforts to persuade the Afghan authorities to prevent terrorist groups from using their territory to launch attacks. He referred to several visits to Kabul in 2025, during which he held discussions with senior Afghan leaders on security, trade, refugees and regional connectivity.

Dar said Pakistan had fulfilled its commitments to Afghanistan and continued to pursue stronger economic relations despite security challenges. Islamabad had also upgraded diplomatic engagement and explored regional projects, including a proposed railway connecting Pakistan and Uzbekistan through Afghanistan to Central Asia.

He recalled a trilateral meeting involving Pakistan, China and Afghanistan, during which the countries discussed regional cooperation. Pakistan’s central demand, he said, remained that Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism against Pakistan or any other country.

Despite these efforts, Dar expressed disappointment over what he described as the lack of meaningful action against terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan. He urged the Afghan Taliban authorities to honour their commitments and take practical steps to prevent cross-border attacks.

The foreign minister cited United Nations monitoring reports concerning the presence of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan and its reported links with Al-Qaeda. He alleged that militants planned and launched attacks inside Pakistan before retreating across the border to safe havens.

Dar said Pakistan had invested heavily in border fencing and management, but argued that physical barriers alone could not eliminate the threat without action against militant sanctuaries. He said Islamabad had repeatedly shared information with relevant authorities and sought concrete measures against groups responsible for attacks.

He also referred to Pakistan’s decision to facilitate the movement of humanitarian assistance into Afghanistan despite border restrictions following attacks in October 2025. According to Dar, Pakistan allowed 1,000 containers of humanitarian supplies to cross the border after a request from the United Nations, demonstrating that security concerns had not ended its commitment to the Afghan people.

He recalled his efforts as finance minister to advance the CASA-1000 electricity transmission project involving Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Although progress had been disrupted by political changes in Afghanistan, he said Pakistan remained interested in regional economic cooperation.

Dar warned that militant groups could eventually threaten the Afghan authorities themselves if they were allowed to operate without restraint. He described the TTP as a major threat to Pakistan and accused it of carrying out attacks against schools, mosques, markets, security installations and other civilian targets.

He also condemned the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), accusing the group of targeting civilians, security personnel and infrastructure linked to Pakistan’s economic development. Among the incidents he cited was the March 2025 hijacking of the Jaffar Express, in which more than 400 passengers were taken hostage. He also referred to attacks on passenger buses and assaults on security installations.

According to Dar, militant organisations depended on wider networks that provided funding, weapons, training and manpower. He urged the international community to address these support systems and prevent terrorist groups from exploiting safe havens.

The deputy prime minister also alleged that India had supported militant organisations operating against Pakistan, including groups based in Afghanistan. He said Pakistan had shared information with the United Nations and international partners regarding these allegations. Referring to former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav and alleged extraterritorial operations, Dar argued that state support for militant groups posed a wider threat to regional stability.

Dar called for stronger international cooperation against terrorism, citing Pakistan’s role as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council for 2025-26. He said the country had chaired the Taliban Sanctions Committee and served in a leadership role within the Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee.

He also highlighted Pakistan’s participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure and its counter-terrorism dialogue with the United States. He urged international partners to improve intelligence-sharing, provide access to modern technology and strengthen the operational capabilities of law enforcement agencies.

Dar said international efforts should also focus on terrorist financing, weapons transfers and the protection of militant sanctuaries. He stressed that countries must prevent their territory from being used to launch attacks against others and urged Pakistan’s partners to press the Afghan authorities to meet their security commitments.

Discussing emerging security challenges, Dar warned that terrorist groups were increasingly using social media, encrypted communications and digital financial systems to recruit supporters, spread propaganda and raise funds. He also expressed concern about the possible use of drones and artificial intelligence by militant organisations.

He said the growing availability of modern weapons and digital tools had made counter-terrorism more complex. Governments, he added, needed to share intelligence, technology and operational experience to respond effectively.

Dar also rejected attempts to associate terrorism with Islam or any particular religion, nationality or ethnicity. Referring to the killing of children in Peshawar, he said those responsible did not represent Islam or any faith. He cited the principle that taking one human life was equivalent to killing all humanity and warned that Islamophobia could deepen divisions and provide extremist groups with propaganda opportunities.

He further maintained that counter-terrorism measures should not be used to suppress legitimate struggles for self-determination recognised under international law. Referring to Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir, he said the fight against terrorism must remain consistent with the principles of the United Nations Charter and relevant Security Council resolutions.

Dar also discussed Pakistan’s diplomatic role in regional conflicts, including efforts to facilitate engagement between the United States and Iran. He said Islamabad had continued pursuing diplomatic solutions despite setbacks and stressed the importance of protecting strategic waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, given their implications for regional and international security.

Concluding his address, Dar outlined Pakistan’s joint defence framework with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, saying an agreement had been signed in Makkah on August 7 and an inaugural meeting held in Istanbul on August 31. He said the arrangement would be supported by a headquarters in Riyadh, while a working committee was finalising its operational details.

The framework includes a Strategic, Political and Defence Committee involving the three countries’ foreign ministers, defence ministers and army chiefs. Dar described the agreement as defensive in nature, saying it was intended to strengthen security cooperation rather than target another country.

He referred to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which recognises the right to individual and collective self-defence, and said the framework could eventually be opened to additional countries once its structure was fully established.

Dar said Pakistan’s counter-terrorism strategy, diplomatic initiatives and defence partnerships were aimed at protecting citizens, strengthening regional cooperation and promoting lasting peace. He stressed that terrorism required a coordinated response from national institutions and international partners, adding that Pakistan could not be expected to confront a cross-border threat without effective cooperation from other countries.