Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Set Up Faceless Anti-Terrorism Courts and Spend Rs70 Billion on Police and Counterterrorism

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is planning a major shake-up of its fight against terrorism. The province will set up faceless anti-terrorism courts, where the identities of judges, witnesses and prosecutors are kept secret, and spend Rs70 billion in a single year on its police and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).

The plan was announced on Sunday, 8 November 2026, at a televised security briefing at the Governor House in Peshawar. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi attended the briefing, where Home Secretary Amjad Ali Khan laid out the measures in detail.

The announcement comes almost a month after the federal government imposed governor’s rule and a state of emergency in the province on 11 October, saying the previous provincial government had stepped back from the fight against terrorism. Since then, the province has been run by the governor, and the new administration says restoring security is its first job.

What was announced

The briefing covered three big changes: an amendment has been sent to set up faceless anti-terrorism courts (ATCs), where the judge, witnesses, prosecutors and police officers in terrorism trials are not identified in public; Rs70 billion will be spent on the police and the CTD over the coming year; and thousands of vacant posts will be filled, with modern equipment, anti-drone systems for the most troubled districts, and wider surveillance and communication networks.

Governor Kundi said the priority was clear: restore peace first, and development would follow. “You can build roads, large underpasses and even turn the city into a garden, but what is the point if the people themselves are not safe?” he said.

What are faceless anti-terrorism courts?

A faceless court is one where the people running the trial cannot be identified. The idea is simple: in terrorism cases, witnesses are often too afraid to come forward because they fear the accused, or their networks, will find out who they are and take revenge. Judges and prosecutors face the same risk.

Home Secretary Amjad Ali Khan said this fear was the main reason for the change. “Witnesses in terrorism cases are afraid to come forward due to their identity,” he said. “So we have recently sent the amendment for these faceless courts. Through this measure, witnesses, prosecutors, and judges will have their protection ensured.”

Under the proposed system, the identities of judges, witnesses, police personnel and others involved in terrorism trials will stay confidential. In practice, this usually means hearings held by video link, with screens or voice-changing technology used to hide who is speaking.

Where the Rs70 billion will go

The Rs70 billion is split between the police and the CTD, and between building things and buying equipment.

The police will receive Rs59.8 billion. Of this, Rs33.4 billion is for infrastructure — police stations, check posts, buildings and other facilities — and Rs26.4 billion is for procurement, meaning weapons, vehicles, protective gear and other equipment.

The CTD will receive Rs10.3 billion. Of this, Rs5.4 billion is for infrastructure and Rs4.9 billion is for procurement.

The money is meant to close gaps that officials described as serious. The police force is short of more than 10,000 personnel, and the governor corrected that figure during the briefing, saying the real number of vacant police posts was 17,000 and that they would be filled without delay. The CTD is short of 638 personnel, and its infrastructure has been built in only 12 of the province’s 37 districts.

The briefing also revealed that money promised in the past had not reached the force. For 22 districts, Rs6.4 billion had been approved for the CTD, but only Rs1 billion had actually been released.

The plan also sets out targets for improving the force’s abilities. Police surveillance capacity, currently at 15 per cent, will be raised to 60 per cent. CTD surveillance capacity will be raised by 70 per cent. The police’s ability to deal with aerial threats, currently at just 1 per cent, will be taken to 50 per cent. Counter-drone capability, currently at 52 per cent, will rise to 60 per cent, and the availability of jammers will go from 40 per cent to 50 per cent. Vehicle armour capacity will improve by 45 per cent.

The problems in the merged districts

Some of the worst gaps are in the merged districts — the former tribal areas that were merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018. Officials said only 3.2 per cent of the budget was allocated for security in these areas, and policing there still depends heavily on former Khasadars and Levies, the old tribal forces, many of whom have not received proper police training.

Governor Kundi was blunt about the state of policing in these districts. “We talk a lot about merged districts, but as far as I know, not a single police line has been created in our merged districts, our former Fata. Look at their police stations, check posts, and facilities,” he said. He added that the chief secretary and additional chief secretary had been told to prepare a full package for the merged districts, including solarising and equipping police facilities.

The briefing also highlighted a shortage of SWAT teams and a lack of security infrastructure. Counter-drone protection across the province is at only 12 per cent capacity, even though officials say militants are now using drone technology and causing heavy losses.

Anti-drone systems will now be set up in three southern districts that face the most attacks: Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat and Bannu. The Safe City project, which uses cameras and monitoring centres to watch public places, will be extended, and District Nerve Centres will be made functional in ten districts so that law enforcement agencies can share information more quickly.

The human cost so far

The briefing put numbers on what the province has already suffered. Over the past two to three years, 1,003 personnel of the armed forces were martyred, 627 police personnel were killed, and 808 civilians lost their lives — a total of 2,438 deaths.

Officials at the briefing also said that more than 3,700 militants had been killed over the past two years, while around 1,200 personnel of law enforcement agencies had lost their lives in the same period.

The home secretary said the province had also suffered from a lack of funding for its civilian law enforcement agencies. The police did not have enough vehicles, protective gear or modern training, and many officers were working with basic weapons. Governor Kundi put it plainly: “Until we strengthen and facilitate (the police), how will they fight using just one Kalashnikov and a few bullets?”

The government has already announced better compensation packages for the families of police martyrs and is working on improving police salaries. The force will also be given more weapons, ammunition and other resources, the governor said.

Technology, operations and public outreach

The plan is not only about money and courts. It also covers technology, operations on the ground, and winning public support.

On technology, satellite communication systems are being set up in areas that have no communication network at all, and artificial intelligence tools are being used to monitor social media and counter militant propaganda. Police will be trained in modern skills such as operating anti-drone systems and sniping, with specialised training held together with the Pakistan Armed Forces.

On operations, the home secretary said direct action against militants would be scaled up. Intelligence-based operations will be increased, areas will be cleared of militants, and facilitators who help terrorists will be arrested. People on the Fourth Schedule, a list of people suspected of links to terrorism, will be re-verified. The Rapid Response Force will be mobilised, and the number of police check posts will be increased. There will also be action against smuggling, narcotics, extortion and non-custom-paid vehicles, which officials say help fund militant groups.

On public outreach, the plan includes strengthening District Dispute Resolution Councils, setting up tribal liaison committees, holding regular jirgas with tribal elders and religious scholars, and holding monthly open forums.

Governor Kundi stressed that public support had been crucial to past military operations, such as the clearing of Swat, and would be essential again. He also called for greater engagement with the province’s large youth population through positive activities.

Why this is happening now

The plan comes in the middle of a major political change in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On 11 October, the federal government imposed governor’s rule and a state of emergency in the province under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution. The Centre said the PTI-led provincial government had deliberately disengaged from the fight against terrorism. The army was also deployed in aid of civil power under Article 245.

Since then, the governor has taken over the powers of the chief minister. The federal cabinet approved that transfer on 4 November, and Governor Kundi now runs the day-to-day administration of the province. For more on that decision, see our earlier report on the transfer of the chief minister’s powers to the governor.

The courts have also been drawn into the dispute. On Saturday, the Peshawar High Court removed around 105 petitions from its cause lists, including challenges to the emergency and governor’s rule, after the Federal Constitutional Court restrained it from hearing cases filed on or after 12 October. Read our report on the Peshawar High Court dropping the challenges.

At the briefing, both the governor and the home secretary blamed a “lack of political ownership” of the war against terrorism in the past. The home secretary said that although the armed forces and law enforcement agencies were making sacrifices, the previous provincial government “was not taking ownership for them”. Governor Kundi said that when attacks happened, voices from the assemblies would say “this is not our war” and “we don’t own it”.

Kundi also said the current administration’s position was clear, and that decisions and policies would be made in Islamabad. He said Pakistan had repeatedly raised concerns about Afghan soil being used to facilitate terrorism at international forums, but Kabul had not acted on those concerns.

The home secretary said the federal government’s Rs160 billion package for the uplift of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would also help, and that the provincial administration and the federal government were “on the same page”. He expressed hope that “its effects will be seen in the coming days”.

What happens next

Several things will decide whether the plan works.

First, the amendment for faceless anti-terrorism courts has to become law. The province has sent it, but it still needs to be approved before the courts can start hearing cases.

Second, the money has to actually reach the police and the CTD. In the past, funds were approved but not released — only Rs1 billion of Rs6.4 billion approved for the CTD in 22 districts was ever released. If the Rs70 billion is released in full, it would be a big change.

Third, the 17,000 vacant police posts have to be filled. The governor has promised this will happen without delay, but recruitment and training take time.

Fourth, the technology has to be installed and used: anti-drone systems in three districts, nerve centres in ten districts, satellite communication in remote areas, and the extension of the Safe City project.

Finally, the courts and the public will be watching. Faceless courts are a new idea in Pakistan, and lawyers and rights groups are likely to ask questions about fair trials and the rights of the accused.

Why this matters

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the province most affected by terrorism in Pakistan. Its police are the first line of defence, and they have been working with too few people, too little money and outdated equipment for years. More than 2,400 soldiers, police officers and civilians have been killed in the past two to three years.

If the Rs70 billion is spent as promised, and the vacant posts are filled, the police and the CTD could become far stronger. Faceless courts could help solve a real problem: witnesses who are too afraid to testify. Together, these steps could make it harder for militants to operate and easier for the state to convict them.

But the plan also comes with risks. It is being carried out under emergency rule, with the elected provincial government suspended and the courts limited in what they can hear. Critics will ask whether security measures announced under emergency rule will last, and whether they respect the rights of ordinary people.

Frequently asked questions

What are faceless anti-terrorism courts?

They are special courts for terrorism cases in which the identities of the judges, witnesses, prosecutors and police officers are kept secret during hearings, to protect them from threats by militants or their networks. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has sent an amendment to set them up.

How much money is being spent?

Rs70 billion over one year: Rs59.8 billion for the police (Rs33.4 billion for infrastructure and Rs26.4 billion for procurement) and Rs10.3 billion for the Counter-Terrorism Department (Rs5.4 billion for infrastructure and Rs4.9 billion for procurement).

Why are witnesses afraid to testify in terrorism cases?

Because they fear the accused, or their networks, will find out who they are and take revenge. Home Secretary Amjad Ali Khan said this fear was the main reason for creating faceless courts.

How many police posts are vacant in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?

More than 10,000, according to the home secretary. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi corrected the figure during the briefing, saying the real number was 17,000 vacant posts, which would be filled without delay. The CTD is also short of 638 personnel.

What is the Safe City project?

It is a system of cameras and monitoring centres used to watch public places and help the police respond to crime and terrorism. The plan will extend the project and set up District Nerve Centres in ten districts.

When was emergency rule imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?

On 11 October 2026, under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution. The federal government said the previous PTI-led provincial government had deliberately disengaged from the fight against terrorism. The governor now runs the province’s day-to-day administration.

Conclusion

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s new counterterrorism plan is the most detailed to come out of the province since emergency rule began a month ago. Faceless anti-terrorism courts, Rs70 billion for the police and the CTD, 17,000 vacant posts to be filled, and anti-drone systems for the most troubled districts — on paper, it is a serious attempt to fix problems that have been building for years.

Whether it works will depend on things that are harder to announce than to deliver: money that actually arrives, recruits who are actually trained, and courts that protect witnesses without weakening justice. For a province that has lost more than 2,400 soldiers, police officers and civilians in the past two to three years, the stakes could hardly be higher.

Sources

• Dawn: https://www.dawn.com/news/2043052/kp-plans-to-set-up-faceless-atcs-spend-rs70bn-on-ctd-and-police-in-a-year-as-part-of-initiatives-against-terrorism
• Geo News: https://www.geo.tv/latest/690259-kp-announces-plan-to-establish-faceless-atcs-for-terrorists-trial
• The Express Tribune: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639284/lack-of-political-ownership-weakened-counterterrorism-efforts-says-k-p-governor
• The Express Tribune: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2639253/k-p-to-fill-17000-vacant-police-posts?amp=1

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.