KP concerns to be handled ‘with seriousness, urgency,’ says PM Shehbaz

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PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday assured Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandpur that the affairs of the province would be “seriously and hurry” and announced a special committee to review the concerns.

Addressing a tribal jirga in Peshawar, the Prime Minister said that the committee would consult the Chief Minister, Governor and local elders to work in key affairs of provincial affairs.

“We will sit together and seriously review the concerns of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.

The KP government, headed by the Pakistan Tehreek -e -Insaf, had faced differences with the federal government of Pakistan Muslim League -Nawaz (PML -N) on several issues, including terrorism.

In 2021, especially in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, the Taliban rulers have witnessed the increase in terrorist incidents since returning to Afghanistan.

However, in the first quarter of 2025, Pakistan’s security scenario saw some intelligent trends, which increased the total loss of civilians and security forces personnel with militants and rebel killings.

According to reports, its key detection, which was released by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), has specifically disclosed the fourth quarter of 2024 (Q4) and the overall violence, compared to nearly 13 % of the total number of civilians and security forces.

Despite progress, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have become the center of violence, with 98 % of all deaths, including attacks as well as bold and militant plans, including extraordinary hijacking of Jaffar Express.

Addressing the jirga today, Prime Minister Shahbaz acknowledged the historical sacrifices of the people of KP and praised their irregular patriotism, saying, “The people of KP have always raised the flag of Pakistan proudly.”

He called KP “a beautiful and great province”, adding that “the sacrifices of its people will be remembered in golden words in the history of the country.”

Referring to the National Finance Commission (NFC) award, Premier stressed that a review was obligatory after 15 years and announced that the first meeting on the NFC would be convened in August. “The 2010 NFC award also includes financial support for KP,” he said.

He said that various governments have provided Rs 700 billion to KP in the past years, emphasizing the need to increase police training and equipment. “The funds allocated for the police are still being released,” he added.

Referring to the additional demands of Chief Minister Gandpur, he said that they would be reviewed by the committee.

Addressing national security, Prime Minister Shahbaz remembered India’s indiscriminate attacks on May 6 and 7, claiming innocent lives. He said that he was told by Field Marshal General Asim Munir that India had started aggression once again, but the Pakistani army responded in such a way that “India will never forget.”

Highlighting the alliance, the Prime Minister said that the entire nation should come together to make bold decisions for the future of Pakistan. “When our homeland calls, our brave soldiers follow their children and go to the next lines,” he said.

He added that Pakistan’s power is also being recognized globally. “After recent visits to four countries, I can say that the world is happy with Pakistan’s progress.”

Talking about water problems, Prime Minister Shahbaz said that the threat of disconnecting India’s water supply has been highlighted the need for national level decisions. “We will invite all four provinces to advise us to increase our water storage capacity,” he said.

Chief Minister Gandpur urges the Center to fulfill the promises made to the tribal areas

Separately, CM Gandpur – earlier addressing Jirga – demanded that the federal government fulfill all the promises made to the people of the tribal districts and ensure that the KP gets its right share in the NFC award.

The provincial chief executive said that political differences have been separated for the sake of national unity, adding that the entire nation is united for the defense and sovereignty of the country.

Demanding the federal government to refrain from imposing taxes in the former FATA and strap areas, Gandpur said, “The people of these areas are not in financial position to pay taxes. These districts were severely affected by the war on terror and now they need a lot of investment.”

He emphasized that all the promises made to the tribal communities should be honored and the integration areas should be demanded immediate release of funds for internal homeless people (IDPs). He also called for the end of drone strikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which said that innocent civilians were suffering from losses due to these operations.

CM Gandpur insisted that the federal government announced the immediate transfer of the NFC share to the KP government for the integrated districts. “We’re not asking for anyone else’s right – we are demanding our own,” he added.

He added, “The federal government has to fulfill its promise regarding the NFC award and clean all the outstanding liabilities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”