Dera Ismail Khan at the Centre of Province Debate, PTI Fund Dispute, and Security Crackdown
Dera Ismail Khan dominated Pakistan's political conversation in the second week of September 2026 on three fronts: residents demanding a separate province for the city and its surrounding region, a deepening intra-party dispute within PTI over the alleged withholding of development funds for the district, and ongoing counter-terrorism operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that resulted in 21 militant deaths.
🗳️ DIK Residents Demand Separate Province, Citing Healthcare and Security Gaps
Radio Pakistan reported on September 11, 2026 that people from all walks of life across Pakistan have been openly expressing their views on the creation of smaller provinces and administrative units. The people in Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa raised their voices in support of creating a new province comprising Dera Ismail Khan and adjoining areas. Speaking to Radio Pakistan, residents of Dera Ismail Khan cited the lack of adequate healthcare and educational facilities in the area as a central grievance, noting that residents currently must travel to Multan, Peshawar, and Islamabad to access services that should be available locally. They said that if Dera Ismail Khan were to become a separate province, funds would be allocated to the area, hospitals would improve, and security-related issues would also be addressed. The reporting reflected a broader national discussion about administrative reorganisation, with Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa residents viewing provincial status as the most direct route to equitable resource allocation and improved governance for a district that has historically felt underserved by the provincial government seated in Peshawar. [1]
🗳️ PTI Rifts Deepen as KP Government Accused of Withholding DIK Funds
The News Pakistan reported on September 13, 2026 that internal differences within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have intensified, with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government accused of withholding development funds for Dera Ismail Khan, the home district of former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur. Member of the National Assembly Faisal Amin Gandapur alleged that development funds for DIK had been deliberately withheld. He told The News that in the latest release by the KP government, which amounted to Rs43 billion in total, only Rs80 million was released for the district. The article, written by journalist Arshad Aziz Malik, framed the dispute as a symptom of deepening rifts inside PTI, with accusations that party leaders in government were failing the constituents of Gandapur's home district. The story was accompanied by an image of PTI supporters and activists holding flags at a rally in Peshawar. The allegation of fund-withholding added a fresh dimension to internal tensions building within the KP provincial government, with Faisal Amin Gandapur going on record to The News to put specific figures on the scale of what he called the withholding. [2]
Security Forces Kill 21 Militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Operations
Balochistan Pulse reported on September 6, 2026 that twenty-one terrorists belonging to the Fitna Al-Khwarij were killed in multiple engagements across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The report, bylined to journalist Aatika Amjad, described the operations as counter-terrorism engagements conducted by security forces across the province. The publication characterised the group as the 'Indian-sponsored Fitna Al-Khwarij.' The article was published alongside a photograph showing weapons, equipment, and other material recovered by security forces following the operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The items recovered were described as having been seized in the course of the counter-terrorism operations. The engagements were said to have taken place across multiple locations within the province, with 21 militants killed in total across these separate actions. The reporting from Balochistan Pulse placed the operations in the context of the broader security campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province that encompasses Dera Ismail Khan and has faced sustained pressure from insurgent networks. [4]
Sources: [1] RADIO PAKISTAN · [2] The News Pakistan · [4] Balochistan Pulse