# Shehbaz Sharif Admits Terrorists Were Brought from Afghanistan and Settled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Targets Imran Khan

> Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has acknowledged that terrorists were brought back from Afghanistan and resettled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during 2019 and 2020. Blaming former Prime Minister Imran Khan for the move, Sharif questioned the usage of billions allocated for counter-terrorism.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Pakistan · **Published:** 2026-11-02 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/pakistan/shehbaz-sharif-ne-mani-afghanistan-se-lakara-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-men-atnkiyon-ko-basane-ki-bata-imran-khan-para-marha-dosha-54809 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Shehbaz Sharif, Imran Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan terrorism, PTI, PML-N

A high-profile admission by Islamabad's top civilian leadership has thrust Pakistan's volatile internal security dynamic back under scrutiny. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has publicly acknowledged that during 2019 and 2020, militants were actively brought back across the border from Afghanistan and rehabilitated inside the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The high-level acknowledgment confirms long-standing observations about the state's erratic handling of armed extremist factions operating along its frontier.

Sharif made these remarks on October 31 while addressing a gathering of parliamentarians and regional officials belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He maintained that joint operations and sustained drives under Nawaz Sharif's earlier tenure had substantially curbed insurgent operations across the country. According to his assessment, nationwide stability had noticeably improved between 2017 and 2018, only to rapidly unravel after armed militants were reintegrated into local populations over the subsequent two years.

## Shifting Blame to the Previous Administration

During his address, Shehbaz Sharif singled out the administration of former prime minister Imran Khan, arguing that the political leadership in charge during 2019 and 2020 created an opening for extremist networks to regain operational momentum. He contended that this deliberate resettlement triggered a fresh escalation of violent incidents that inflicted severe casualties and infrastructural harm. Yet, the Prime Minister omitted critical operational details, offering no count of how many fighters entered the province, which bureaucratic authority authorized their entry, or what operational role the military command and intelligence directorates played.

Because Pakistan's armed forces retain overwhelming dominance over national defense and cross-border security doctrines, confining responsibility solely to an elected civilian predecessor leaves critical gaps unanswered. Observers have frequently questioned how large groups of battle-hardened operatives could traverse regulated borders and resettle in sensitive frontier zones without extensive clearance and logistical accommodation from military and intelligence establishments.

## Scrutiny Over 800 Billion Rupees in Counter-Terror Funds

Sharif also directed pointed questions at the allocation and deployment of counter-insurgency financing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Citing fiscal disbursements under the 2010 National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, he pointed out that the province receives an additional one percent revenue share specifically to tackle militant violence. Over the lifecycle of this mechanism, aggregate disbursements have reached roughly 800 billion Pakistani rupees.

He openly challenged regional stakeholders to account for that capital, demanding to know how many comprehensive Safe City surveillance networks had been established and what concrete institutional enhancements had strengthened the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). Sharif expressed frustration over outdated police weaponry and inadequate tactical preparation, taking direct aim at administrative failures that have left thousands of critical vacancies unfilled across the provincial police force.

## The Toll of Decades of Militancy

Highlighting the toll exacted by regional conflict, the Prime Minister stated that Pakistan has lost approximately 80,000 lives in its long-running confrontation with terrorism. Over the same timeline, economic disruption, damaged infrastructure, and depressed investment have cost the nation between 150 billion and 200 billion dollars. He referenced the deadly attack on Peshawar's Army Public School, calling it one of the most agonizing episodes in national memory, while praising the sacrifices of local residents, frontline law enforcement officers, and military personnel.

## PTI Rejects Accusations and Mounts Counteroffensive

The Prime Minister's accusations drew a sharp response from Imran Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Sheikh Waqas Akram, PTI's central information secretary, dismissed the speech, arguing that the ruling coalition possesses no moral credibility to lecture others on governance and administrative competence. The opposition party maintained that stability and civic peace inside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were noticeably superior during Khan's tenure. PTI representatives reversed the accusation, asserting that the central government in Islamabad has systematically withheld vital financial resources, modern weapons, and operational equipment needed by the provincial police to suppress militant groups.

## What this means for you
The admission regarding the resettlement of militants directly affects regional stability and cross-border security dynamics.

- **Border Security:** Neighboring security forces will maintain elevated vigilance along borders to intercept potential cross-border infiltration and unrest. Intelligence apparatuses will track organizational movements closely.
- **Economic Repercussions:** Political turbulence and resurging security concerns jeopardize foreign direct investment and multilateral financial assistance programs for Pakistan. This trend exerts downward pressure on the local currency and intensifies domestic living costs.
- **Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Residents:** Local communities across the northwestern province face heightened vulnerabilities due to gaps in law enforcement readiness. The shortfall of modern equipment and vacant police positions hampers everyday public safety.
- **Diplomatic Standing:** The revelation weakens the credibility of official counter-terrorism narratives presented at international forums. Global oversight bodies may subject the nation's security commitments to intensified scrutiny.

## Why this happened
The controversy emerged when the Prime Minister publicly disclosed that militants were brought across the border from Afghanistan under the previous regime. The revelation stems from escalating political rivalries alongside documented security regressions.

- **Political Maneuvering:** Facing heightened militant violence, the governing coalition sought to shift public accountability for deteriorated law and order onto the preceding administration led by Imran Khan. This tactic aims to blunt criticism over current governance shortcomings.
- **Cross-Border Resettlement Decisions:** During 2019 and 2020, amidst shifting regional dynamics across the Afghan border, a contentious initiative brought fighters into the country for reintegration. That decision allowed militant groups to regroup and re-establish local roots.
- **Fiscal Scrutiny:** Questions surrounding the provincial expenditure of 800 billion Pakistani rupees provided under the 2010 NFC Award prompted this confrontation. Deficiencies in police readiness, safe city projects, and counter-terror training added fuel to the debate.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. What did Shehbaz Sharif admit regarding militants?
He acknowledged that militants were brought back from Afghanistan and resettled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during 2019 and 2020.

### 2. Who did Shehbaz Sharif hold responsible for the resettlement?
He placed the responsibility entirely on the previous administration led by former prime minister Imran Khan.

### 3. How much funding was allocated to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for security?
Under the 2010 National Finance Commission framework, roughly 800 billion Pakistani rupees were disbursed to the province.

### 4. What losses has Pakistan suffered due to terrorism according to the speech?
Sharif stated that approximately 80,000 lives were lost alongside an estimated economic toll of 150 to 200 billion dollars.

### 5. How did Imran Khan's party PTI respond to the accusations?
PTI stated that peace was superior during Khan's tenure and accused the federal government of withholding essential counter-terror resources.

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