- Waqas Akram blames federal neglect for resurgence of terrorism, demands 2% ‘war share’
- Says Centre owes Rs2tr for merged districts, Rs2.5tr in Net Hydel dues, Only Rs1.5b released under AIP in seven years
- Claims KP spent Rs260b more than it received under 1pc War on terror share, seeks doubling of share to 2% amid new counterterror ops
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday rejected what it called the federal government’s “false and misleading” claim that Rs600 billion had been provided to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government for the war on terror, asserting instead that the Centre owes the province Rs5,050 billion under the heads of the war on terror and other constitutionally guaranteed rights.
In a strongly worded statement, PTI Central Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram accused the federal government of pursuing a flawed counterterrorism policy and treating KP “like a stepchild,” despite the province having borne the heaviest human, economic, and security toll of the conflict.
He said the “imposed regime” was using “cronies and acrobats” to malign the KP government to hide its own failures, which had allowed terrorism to resurge alarmingly.
Waqas recalled that Pakistan’s war on terror had inflicted economic losses of over USD 67.9 billion (around Rs5 trillion) by 2011—including USD 13.56 billion in FY2009–10 alone — most of which were sustained by KP and the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
Detailing KP’s outstanding dues, the PTI leader said the Centre still owed the province Rs5,050 billion, including Rs2,000 billion for merged districts, Rs2,500 billion in Net Hydel Profit (NHP), and Rs550 billion under the Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP). He noted that under AIP, the province had received only Rs1.5 billion in the past seven years — a fraction of what was pledged.
He reminded that under the “Tribal Decade Strategy,” the federal government had committed to provide Rs100 billion annually for ten years (Rs1 trillion total) to the merged districts for their post-merger development, but failed to honour the commitment despite repeated appeals from KP.
Referring to the province’s 1% “War on Terror” share under the 7th NFC Award (2009), Waqas said this allocation was not a privilege but “a compensatory share” acknowledging KP’s frontline role in major counterterrorism operations.
He cited a string of military campaigns in KP and former FATA, including Operation Rah-e-Raast (2009) in Swat, Rah-e-Nijat (2009) in South Waziristan, Zarb-e-Azb (2014) in North Waziristan, Khyber Operations I–IV (2014–2017), Radd-ul-Fasaad (2017), and the ongoing Azm-e-Istehkam (2024) and Fitna-tul-Khawarij operations.
“KP has spent over Rs260 billion more than it received under the 1% share, primarily on reconstruction and rehabilitation in Swat, Dir Lower, Dir Upper, and Buner,” he said, noting that the province had also hosted over 70% of the country’s internally displaced persons (IDPs) during peak operations, placing massive strain on provincial services such as policing, health, and education.
He highlighted major post-conflict projects including the Swat Expressway, Dir Motorway, Pediatric Hospital Swat, Agriculture University Swat, and UET Swat as examples of KP’s reinvestment in its conflict-hit areas.
Comparing inter-provincial shares under the 7th NFC Award, he said Punjab gained +2.2%, Sindh +2.5% (in addition to Octroi and Zila Tax compensation), and Balochistan a guaranteed 9.09%, which exceeded its population ratio. KP’s 1% share, he stressed, was the only adjustment tied directly to national security and post-war reconstruction.
Given the persistent security challenges and newly launched operations, Waqas demanded that the Centre not only continue KP’s war-on-terror share but double it to 2% to fund reconstruction, policing, and livelihood support in conflict-affected districts.
He said the Centre’s continued withholding of funds had crippled counterterrorism efforts and stalled development across KP, particularly in the merged districts.
“The federal government must extend practical support instead of relying on rhetoric and misleading claims,” he said, urging Islamabad to release KP’s due financial shares to sustain peace and equitable development.
