PAKISTAN’S national security debate has long been dominated by the armed forces, border management and counterterrorism operations. Yet recent attacks across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have exposed another uncomfortable reality. The country’s internal security increasingly depends not only on the military’s strength but also on the capacity of its provin-cial governments and police forces. A state cannot remain secure if its first responders lack resources, authority and institutional support to confront modern security threats.

Pakistan’s Constitution places law and order squarely within the jurisdiction of the provinces. Following the Eighteenth Constitutional Amendment in 2010, policing, local governance, health, education and numerous administrative functions became provincial responsibilities. To support these responsibilities, the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award allocates approximately 57.5 percent of the divisible federal tax pool to the provinces, leaving 42.5 percent with the federation. The rationale was simple. Provinces were expected to strengthen governance, improve public services and build capable institutions closer to the people. The results, however, have been uneven.

Pakistan’s police services comprise several hundred thousand personnel serving a population of around 250 million. While their numerical strength is substantial, the real challenge lies not in numbers but in capability. Many police stations remain under-equipped, forensic facilities are limited, intelligence sharing is fragmented and officers often lack modern surveillance technology, protective equipment, digital investigation tools and specialized counterterrorism training. In insurgency-affected districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and........

© Pakistan Observer