ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): In a press conference, Ikhtiar Wali has stated that terrorism, drug trafficking, and mismanagement have surged to their peak during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Ikhtiar Wali stated that the Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s government is a major facilitator of terrorists and drug traffickers in Pakistan.
According to the figures provided, 122 police personnel were martyred in KP during the first six months of 2026, compared with 63 during the corresponding period of 2025, an increase of 93.7 percent.
The number of police personnel injured also more than doubled, rising from 84 in the first half of 2025 to 175 in the same period of 2026, an increase of 108.3 percent.
The figures further show that 680 terrorist attacks were recorded in KP from January to September 2026, compared with 508 during the same period last year, representing a 33.9 percent increase.
The rise in casualties has coincided with continued counterterrorism operations across the province. KP Police reported conducting 2,004 intelligence-based operations during the first half of 2026, while 294 terrorist attacks targeted police personnel during the period.
Questions Over CTD Preparedness
The security situation has also brought renewed attention to the preparedness and resources of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).
A report published in June said official police documents showed that the CTD had 3,844 sanctioned personnel positions, while recruitment for 638 field-operator positions remained incomplete. The same report said the department had only 17 bulletproof double-cabin vehicles across the province.
The records cited in the report also showed that Rs7.77 billion had been approved to strengthen the CTD, with Rs7.05 billion released. Officials said the funds were being used for bulletproof and armoured vehicles, modern weapons, drones, anti-drone guns, locators, jammers and other equipment.
This has prompted questions over not only the release of funds but also the timely procurement, deployment and operational use of the equipment.
The reported shortages include specialised weapons and night-vision equipment. Earlier official reporting also documented the provision of drones, night-vision devices and thermal-imaging equipment to the CTD, indicating an ongoing effort to modernise the force.
Kohat Attack Highlights Security Concerns
The issue of security preparedness came into sharp focus following the September 18 attack on Kohat Police Lines, a complex that houses the CTD, Special Branch and other police units.
The attack involved a suicide vehicle bombing followed by an assault on the police compound. The subsequent clearance operation lasted nearly a day, with eight attackers reported killed and dozens of casualties among police personnel and civilians.
The incident also resulted in injuries to the Additional Inspector General of the CTD, who was supervising the operation from the frontline.
Drug Trafficking and Smuggling
The province has simultaneously continued extensive anti-narcotics operations. According to the KP Police’s first-quarter performance report, authorities seized 5,695kg of hashish, 847kg of ice (methamphetamine), 210kg of heroin and 275kg of opium during operations in the first three months of 2026. Police also reported thousands of FIRs and arrests in connection with narcotics cases.
The reported recovery of large quantities of narcotics and smuggled goods has raised broader questions over the networks behind the trafficking, including suppliers, financiers and distribution channels.
