Can Malakand’s Civil Administration Keep Militant Groups Out of Their Area of Jurisdiction?

ISLAMABAD: Provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to withdraw the powers of maintaining law and order in Malakand Division from the Pakistan Army and hand over these powers back to the civil administration and police in the area.

In a significant move on February 10, 2025, the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governments reached a unanimous agreement to transfer security and administrative control of the Malakand Division from the Pakistan Army to the provincial police and civil administration.

The Pakistan Army will officially relinquish its command in the region, handing over law-and-order responsibilities to the KP Police, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), and other provincial law enforcement agencies.

To manage the transition, a special sub-committee was formed, headed by KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. This committee includes the Corps Commander Peshawar, Chief Secretary, IG Police, and other senior civil and military officials to monitor security and development on a monthly basis.

Since the military operation in Malakand in 2009-2010, the military has acted in aid of civil power under Article 245 of the Constitution, with the legal power over the region and to conduct kinetic operations and maintain security checkpoints.This paramilitary force remains the primary law enforcement agency in the Malakand District, performing duties similar to regular police, such as investigating crimes and executing warrants.

A high-level security meeting in Peshawar chalked out a roadmap for transferring law-and-order responsibilities from the army to civilian authorities in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

The session reviewed the overall security landscape and concluded that in areas, including Malakand, where peace improves, operational control will be handed over to the police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and provincial law-enforcement authorities.

The meeting was presided over by Chief Minister, K-P and it was attended by Federal Minister, Mohsin Naqvi and other senior civil and military official
p”In Malakand, powers are being transferred to the police, CTD and provincial law enforcement agencies,” government officials said, adding that the same process would be followed in other districts once counter-terrorism operations conclude and the situation stabilises.

It was decided that the government would convene a meeting of political parties and religious leaders of the areas to consult them on the process of transferring powers to civil administration and police.

This is seen as a significant move as earlier it was thought and believed that civil administration and police were incapable of warding off militants from launching an onslaught against urban areas of Malakand Division.

Before military operation in 2009-2010, the Swat city and its environs went completely into the control of militants. The Pakistani military pushed the militant groups out of Swat after a prolonged military operation in Malakand. The military operation in Malakand Division continued for several months.
There is still a strong sense of disbelief over whether the civil administration and police could keep the militant groups out of Swat and Malakand Division.

Official statements described the move as “good news” for the people of Malakand, signaling a “restoration of trust” in the provincial police force. The transition aims to reduce military presence at roadside checkpoints—a long-standing local demand—to foster a more “hassle-free” environment, particularly for the region’s vital tourism sector.  The government plans to convene a meeting of political stakeholders and tribal elders to take them into confidence regarding the new security roadmap.