There is something almost surreal about the politics of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). While the province struggles with militancy, insecurity, economic uncertainty and the erosion of public confidence, its political leadership appears trapped in a contest of competing narratives. Each side claims to be defending the people, yet the people continue to bear the consequences. Welcome to the La La Land of KP politics, where political imagination often seems more powerful than political accountability.

The imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in KP on Oct 11, 2026, has brought this contradiction into sharp focus. The federal government, acting under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, has justified the extraordinary intervention by citing the deteriorating security situation and what it describes as the provincial administration’s failure to adequately address terrorism. The PTI, which governed the province, has rejected the decision, describing it as political victimisation and an assault on democratic representation. The confrontation has now moved beyond political rhetoric into a serious constitutional and democratic crisis. But beneath the competing claims lies a question that neither side can afford to avoid: where, in all this political theatre, are the people of KP?

For years, the province has lived with the consequences of militancy, displacement, economic deprivation and fragile public security. Communities in the former tribal districts and other vulnerable areas have repeatedly faced violence, uncertainty and the loss of livelihoods. Families have paid the price in blood, while countless others continue to live with the fear that the fragile peace they have known may not last. For these citizens, politics is not an abstract contest between Islamabad and Peshawar. It is a question of whether their children can attend school safely, whether markets can operate without fear, and whether the state can protect their........

© The Friday Times