Senior journalist and analyst Shehzad Iqbal has said his discussions with people in positions of power suggest that authorities expect progress on counterterrorism and governance in the coming weeks and months.
Iqbal said he had asked officials how long the new setup would remain in place, as no specific timeframe had been announced for improving the situation. According to him, officials described the challenges as complex, involving both security and governance, and said it was not possible to set a definite deadline.
However, they expected to see positive developments over time, including a decline in terrorist attacks and improvements in governance.
Iqbal said officials considered the previous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s alleged lack of action against militants and limited cooperation with the federal government major obstacles to counterterrorism efforts.
He also highlighted plans to tackle links between terrorism, organised crime and drug networks, address non-custom-paid vehicles, and implement the government’s policy on repatriating Afghan nationals.
According to Iqbal, officials are also focusing on strengthening the police and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), activating counterterrorism support mechanisms, and ensuring accurate public information about terrorist incidents.
He said the coming weeks would be important in assessing whether these measures lead to visible improvements in security and governance.
