Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has defended the federal government’s decision to impose emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, accusing the previous PTI government of allowing terrorists to return and weakening the province’s security arrangements.

Addressing a high-level Apex Committee meeting on Thursday, Shehbaz said the deteriorating security situation required action and the government could not ignore threats to national security.

He alleged that the previous provincial government had failed to strengthen law enforcement and counterterrorism institutions. The prime minister pointed to around 5,000 vacant police posts, delays in Safe City projects and limited improvements in the Counter Terrorism Department’s capabilities.

Shehbaz also claimed the federal government had offered all possible resources to the previous two PTI chief ministers to fight terrorism, but those offers had not been acted upon.

He said public safety, education and the protection of citizens had not received the attention they required, describing the failure to prioritise these areas as contrary to the national interest.

The meeting reviewed security challenges in KP and ongoing counterterrorism measures. Participants included Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and other senior officials.

Shehbaz said an advisory council had been established to help improve the situation in the province.

The prime minister also ordered a transparent investigation into a school roof collapse that killed dozens of children and directed the governor to visit the site.

Governor Kundi said restoring peace and promoting development were the province’s main priorities, adding that residents should not have to choose between security and progress.