October 20, 2026
1. Malakand RPO Vows to Continue Operations against Militants
On October 20, Malakand Regional Police Officer Zahid Nawaz Marwat said there would be no compromise on law and order and that police, in coordination with security agencies, would continue operations against militants. Speaking in Mingora, he cited his previous experience as Swat DPO and acknowledged that militant threats to residents were affecting tourism; he also referred to a recent operation in Kabal.
2. Balochistan Government Reports Increased Counter-Terrorism Measures
At a press conference in Quetta on October 20, Balochistan Home Minister Mir Zia Langove, Chief Minister’s spokesperson Shahid Rind and Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hamza Shafqaat said the provincial government had enacted 18 counter-terrorism laws, established 17 institutions and spent Rs14 billion on security over two years. Shafqaat added that more than 60,000 security operations had been conducted and cited initiatives including the Quetta Safe City project, forensic facilities, security cameras and improved highway security.
(Mashaal Digital) (Dawn.com) (Arab News PK)
October 21, 2026
1. Drone Strike Reportedly Kills Five Suspected Militants in Bannu
Reports say a drone strike on a suspected militant hideout in Zarwam, Bannu, on October 20 killed five suspected militants and injured seven others. The hideout was reportedly linked to the local Taliban’s “Gidar group,” but the identities and alleged affiliations of those killed and injured have not been officially confirmed, and authorities have yet to issue a statement.
(Mashaal Digital) (The News Pakistan)
2. ANP Balochistan President Asghar Khan Achakzai Arrested in Chaman
On October 21, Asghar Khan Achakzai, provincial president of the Awami National Party (ANP) in Balochistan and a former provincial assembly member, was arrested at Chaman court after his bail was cancelled. The ANP, Balochistan Bar Council and other political parties condemned the arrest; ANP leaders alleged that the case was false and described the inclusion of Achakzai’s name as a political conspiracy, while saying the party respected the courts and rule of law.
October 22, 2026
1. Prime Minister Pledges to Restore Development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
On October 22, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged that the federal government would make every effort to restore development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid Governor’s Rule and the state of emergency imposed on October 11. He made the remarks while chairing a provincial Apex Committee meeting in Peshawar, attended by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, federal ministers and provincial advisers, where participants reviewed the security situation.
(Mashaal Digital) (Radio Pakistan)
2. Four Police Personnel, Including CTD DSP, Killed in Operation in Karak
On October 22, two militants and four police personnel, including Counter-Terrorism Department Deputy Superintendent of Police Imran-ud-Din Khan, were killed in an exchange of fire in Charpira, Karak. Police said militants had established a roadblock the previous night, prompting an intelligence-based search and targeted operation on October 22; the operation was still ongoing.
October 23, 2026
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi: Decisive action will be taken against militants.
On October 23, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said strict action would be taken against militants and their facilitators and that the province would be cleared of insurgency. He visited the families of DSP Imran-ud-Din Khan and Constable Kazim Jan, who were killed in the Karak encounter, and cited the National Apex Committee’s October 22 reaffirmation of the government’s zero-tolerance policy toward insurgency.
October 24, 2026
1. LPG Price Hike Increases Financial Pressure on People in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Residents, shopkeepers and tandoor owners in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faced growing financial pressure as LPG prices rose. Although the official price on October 19 was Rs279 per kilogram, traders reported sales from gas plants at Rs450; Swat trader Aizaz Khan said the price had suddenly increased by Rs150 on October 20 to Rs400 per kilogram, raising the cost of a domestic cylinder by about Rs1,200.
October 26, 2026
1. Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: We Are Striving to Eradicate Terrorism
On October 25, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said terrorism and extremism remained major challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that Sufi hospices and centres of Sufi teachings could help counter them by promoting peace, tolerance and brotherhood. He made the remarks at the annual Urs at Darbar-e-Azamia Salik Abad Sharif in Hassan Abdal, attended by PML-N leader and former MNA Captain (Retd.) Safdar and religious scholars.
2. Pakistan Urges Afghan Taliban to Take Action Against Militant Groups
Pakistan urged the Afghan Taliban government to take practical and verifiable action against militant groups that Islamabad accuses of operating from Afghan territory. Pakistani officials said more than 2,800 militant attacks had taken place across the country since January 2026, causing approximately 3,000 deaths, with most attacks reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
October 27, 2026
1. Over 4,000 Government Schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Declared Unsafe
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Elementary and Secondary Education Department identified 4,049 government school buildings as dilapidated and at risk of collapse, estimating that Rs16.2 billion is needed for repairs and reconstruction. The survey followed the October 15 collapse of a private school in Peshawar’s Dir Colony, which killed 31 students and one teacher; the required work covers 8,088 classrooms, 2,949 shared restrooms and 48 laboratories.
2. Bomb Blast in Bannu Kills One, Injures Three
On October 27, a remote-controlled bomb targeting the vehicle of local peace committee member Malik Sabeel Khan exploded in Dabak Saidkhel, Bannu, killing his brother Malik Enar Khan and injuring three people, including Sabeel Khan. Police said the blast occurred within the jurisdiction of Township Police Station; preliminary reports indicated that the vehicle was the intended target, but authorities had not disclosed the motive or further details about the explosives.
- Pakistan Halts Auction of Afghan Traders’ Goods
Pakistan halted the planned auction of containers carrying Afghan traders’ goods after a joint request from the chambers of commerce of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Khan Jan Alokozai, Deputy Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce, discussed the goods and their estimated value in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
October 28, 2026
1. Exchange of Fire Reported Between Pakistani Forces and Afghan Taliban in South Waziristan
An exchange of fire was reported between Pakistani forces and Afghan Taliban border posts in the Angoor Adda area of South Waziristan. Pakistani security sources quoted in the report said firing originated from Afghan-side posts and that Pakistani forces retaliated against border posts, mortar positions and defensive bunkers using light and heavy weapons and artillery; the sources also claimed some Afghan Taliban fighters abandoned their positions.
(Mashaal Digital) (Amu TV) (The Washington Post)
2. Court Issues Arrest Warrants for Sohail Afridi and Four PTI Members in Radio Pakistan Attack Case
A special anti-terrorism court in Peshawar issued arrest warrants for former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and four other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf members in connection with the May 9, 2023, attack on the Radio Pakistan building. The warrants followed the submission of a police charge sheet and also name former provincial ministers Kamran Bangash and Taimur Saleem Jhagra, PTI Peshawar district president Irfan Saleem and party member Aamir Khan Chamkani.
October 30, 2026
Two people have been killed in separate incidents in Bannu
In one incident in Bannu on October 30, unidentified gunmen abducted Ziaullah in the Karam Garhi area and his body was later recovered; police launched a search for those responsible. In a separate incident, CTD official Siddiq Zaman, who served with the unit in North Waziristan and was reportedly home on leave, was shot dead at Burmashal Chowk. Police were investigating both killings.
Samar Haroon Bilour: Evidence of Corruption against Sohail Afridi Is Being Gathered
At an October 30 press conference, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Adviser on Information Samar Haroon Bilour claimed that ousted Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was in safe custody and that authorities had obtained evidence of corruption against him. She said a charge sheet would be presented when the process was complete, but no official information had been provided about Afridi’s whereabouts amid the emergency measures and Governor’s Rule.
3. Police Officer Killed in Militant Attack on Bajaur Police Post
A police officer was killed after militants attacked a police post in Sailai Pattai, Barang tehsil, Bajaur, on the night of October 30. District Police Spokesperson Mansoor Khan confirmed that the attackers were described as belonging to “Fitna-ul-Khawarij,” a term used by the Pakistani state for members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP); police returned fire, and no group had claimed responsibility.
October 31, 2026
1. Militant Attacks Continue in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa despite Emergency Measures
Militant attacks continued across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa despite the imposition of a state of emergency in 12 districts, with police personnel remaining frequent targets. Five police personnel were reportedly killed in attacks across Bajaur, Lakki Marwat, Bannu and South Waziristan the previous day, raising questions about the effectiveness of the government’s security policy and the measures being taken to restore peace.
2. Mansehra Deputy Commissioner Injured in Gun Attack in Nowshera
On October 31, unidentified gunmen opened fire on the official vehicle of Mansehra Deputy Commissioner Adil Waseem in Panah Kot, Nowshera, injuring him. A spokesperson for Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar said Waseem was out of danger and receiving treatment; police said he was travelling from his ancestral village, Saleh Khana, when the attack occurred.
