PM Shehbaz vows to restore development and prosperity in KP

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has pledged to restore development and prosperity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, criticising the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for what he

PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has pledged to restore development and prosperity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, criticising the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for what he described as negligence towards security and public welfare during its years in power.

The prime minister made the remarks on Thursday while chairing a meeting of the provincial apex committee in Peshawar. The meeting reviewed the province’s security situation and the measures required to address rising terrorism and improve law and order.

Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, federal ministers and provincial advisers attended the meeting. The visit marked Shehbaz’s first trip to the province since the imposition of governor’s rule and an emergency on October 11.

Addressing the participants, Shehbaz said the federal government would make every possible effort to restore public confidence and put KP back on the path to progress. He maintained that the province’s development had suffered because of decisions and circumstances over recent years.

He said the Centre would provide all available resources to support the province and ensure that its residents benefited from better education, healthcare, security and economic opportunities. He also expressed hope that KP would not only catch up with other provinces in development but could eventually move ahead of them.

The prime minister defended the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule, describing the decision as a step taken under extreme compulsion. The federal government has justified the move by accusing the previous PTI-led provincial administration of failing to remain adequately engaged in counterterrorism efforts.

Shehbaz also criticised what he described as a failure to honour the sacrifices made by security personnel in restoring peace. He said the return of terrorist elements had undermined years of efforts and sacrifices by security forces and law enforcement agencies.

Calling for a comprehensive review of the factors behind the deteriorating security situation, the prime minister said public services and the protection of citizens’ lives and property should remain the government’s primary responsibilities. He accused the previous provincial administration of neglecting these priorities.

Referring to the broader security situation, Shehbaz recalled the heavy human and economic cost of terrorism in Pakistan. He said thousands of lives had been lost and the country’s economy had suffered substantial damage during years of violence before security conditions improved in 2018.

Describing KP as a strategically important and naturally beautiful province, the prime minister said the government would work to improve security and accelerate development. He called the province a vital defensive frontier of the country.

The meeting comes after Parliament endorsed the federal government’s decisions concerning emergency and governor’s rule in KP last week, amid strong protests from opposition lawmakers.

Governor Kundi has said that counterterrorism would be the new administration’s top priority. He has also called for closer coordination between the federal government and security institutions, maintaining that national security policies must be coordinated from Islamabad.