Key Points
- The vehicles were transferred from Islamabad Police to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police.
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 680 attacks from January to September 2026.
- Attacks increased 33.9 per cent from the same period in 2025.
- Police lost 122 personnel in the first six months of 2026.
- Another 175 police personnel were injured during the same period.
- Federal-provincial coordination remains crucial to strengthening counterterrorism efforts.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has handed over 10 newly acquired armoured personnel carriers (APCs) to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police to strengthen counterterrorism operations amid a surge in terrorist attacks across the province.
The vehicles were transferred from Islamabad Police on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who ordered their immediate handover in view of the prevailing security situation.
“On the directions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, today I handed over 10 newly acquired Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) of Islamabad Police to KP Police to strengthen their ongoing counterterrorism operations,” Naqvi said.
On the directions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, today I handed over 10 newly acquired Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) of Islamabad Police to KP Police to strengthen their ongoing counterterrorism operations.
In view of the prevailing security situation and rising terrorist incidents in KP, the Prime Minister directed their immediate transfer.
The fight against terrorism is our collective responsibility. The Federal Government stands firmly with KP Police and will extend every possible support to defeat terrorism and protect our people.— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) October 12, 2026
“In view of the prevailing security situation and rising terrorist incidents in KP, the Prime Minister directed their immediate transfer. The fight against terrorism is our collective responsibility. The Federal Government stands firmly with KP Police and will extend every possible support to defeat terrorism and protect our people,” the Interior Minister added.
Naqvi said the transfer was part of the federal government’s efforts to strengthen the operational capacity of the provincial police, adding that Islamabad would continue providing assistance to combat terrorism and protect the public.
Rising security threats
The transfer comes as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faces a worsening security situation, with official figures indicating a substantial increase in terrorist attacks and police casualties.
According to data reported by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) on September 29, the province recorded 680 attacks from January to September 2026, compared with 508 during the corresponding period in 2025, an increase of 33.9 per cent.
The same data showed that 122 police personnel were killed during the first six months of 2026, compared with 63 in the corresponding period last year. Another 175 police personnel were injured, up from 84 during the same period in 2025.
The figures highlight the pressure on the provincial police, which continues to conduct counterterrorism operations while facing direct attacks on its personnel and installations.
Deadly Kohat attack
One of the most serious recent attacks occurred on September 18, when a suicide vehicle bombing and an armed assault targeted the old Police Lines complex in Kohat during Friday prayers. The attack killed police personnel and other people, while several others were injured.
The assault underscored the vulnerability of police facilities to complex attacks involving explosives and armed terrorists, highlighting the need for stronger security, better equipment and improved operational preparedness.
The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), in its September security assessment published on October 5, reported 225 terrorist attacks nationwide during the month, compared with 199 in August. It described September as the month with the highest number of terrorist attacks in 12 years.
The institute also reported a particularly sharp increase in the lethality of terrorist violence in mainland Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, although Balochistan accounted for the largest share of attacks nationwide.
Federal-provincial coordination
The provision of the APCs comes amid wider discussions between the federal and provincial governments over security arrangements and measures to counter militancy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
On October 4, Naqvi said the provincial government had agreed to sign a written agreement and submit an implementation plan covering several security-related measures. However, he alleged that the provincial government had stepped back from those commitments during the final phase of negotiations.
Naqvi reiterated that the federal government would continue supporting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police in its fight against terrorism.
The transfer of the 10 APCs adds to the equipment available to the provincial force. However, the scale of the security challenge means sustained support, effective deployment, intelligence coordination and adequate protection for police stations and personnel will remain critical to counterterrorism efforts.
