For more than two decades, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and its adjoining tribal areas have stood at the centre of Pakistan’s counter-terrorism campaigns. Since the early 2000s, federal military operations have targeted militant networks threatening both national security and regional stability. These campaigns remain under the command of Pakistan’s Armed Forces and the federal government. The provincial administration, currently headed by Ali Amin Gandapur, plays only a constitutionally limited supportive role.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s security landscape is also shaped by a legacy of past operations where successive federal governments oversaw campaigns that dismantled militant strongholds. Provincial governments, however, were left to grapple with the humanitarian fallout, economic disruption and mistrust created in many communities. While these campaigns weakened insurgent networks, they left behind scars that still weigh heavily on society.

Today, those unresolved consequences weigh heavily on the provincial government of KP. Communities still grappling with displacement and security fatigue often look to the sitting provincial leadership for redress. Critics argue CM Gandapur is paying the political price for decisions made by earlier administrations, where civilian engagement was sidelined in favour of........

© Daily Pakistan