PESHAWAR: Lawmakers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Thursday expressed deep concern over the worsening security situation in the province, as treasury members blamed the federal government and intelligence agencies for their “ineffective” policy on militancy, while the opposition criticized the provincial government’s “double standards” on law and order.
Chaired by Deputy Speaker Suriya Bibi, the provincial assembly resumed a general discussion on the law & order situation in the province.
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Housing, Dr Amjad, said the security situation across the province, particularly in the merged districts, was deteriorating day by day, where security forces had launched military operations without the consent of the local population.
“The former Mujahideen are now being called Khwarij in Pakistan. Who trained and sent them for jihad in the first place?” he asked, adding that the public was now questioning the credibility and professionalism of security forces, who had failed to control a few hundred militants.
The cabinet member said the security forces were responsible for border control, yet infiltrators continued to cross the fenced border and were later blamed for terrorist activities inside Pakistan. He maintained that military operations and drone attacks could not bring lasting peace to the tribal areas, which required a coherent policy at the federal level.
Dr Amjad also called for the disbanding of the Actions (in Aid of Civil Power) Regulation, terming it the root cause of the ongoing crisis in the
country.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA from Orakzai, Aurangzeb Khan, said thousands of tribal people were displaced from their hometowns during military operations between 2006 and 2014, and now they were unwilling to leave again for fresh military offensives in their areas.
He stressed that the federal and KP governments should be on the same page regarding counter-terrorism efforts, while neighboring Afghanistan should also be taken into confidence for sustainable peace in the region.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl woman MPA Aiman Jalil Jan criticized the PTI-led provincial government for the turmoil, stating that instead of focusing on law and order, it had spent its energy on protests and seeking the release of an individual—an apparent reference to party founder Imran Khan.
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Communication and Works, Suhail Afridi, said the PTI leadership and workers had faced state-sponsored violence and political victimization for years, with former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse behind bars for the past two years.
He added that the provincial government opposed any military operation on its soil, saying such measures would only increase public suffering instead of ending terrorism.
PTI MPA Ubaidur Rehman said the security forces and intelligence agencies, tasked with maintaining law and order, had instead shifted focus towards targeting a particular political party and leader over the past several years.
He said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bore the brunt of military operations, drone attacks and federal government-led violence.
Awami National Party (ANP) MPA Nisar Baz said political parties and state institutions must work together to eliminate unrest and militancy. He noted that ANP leaders and workers had offered sacrifices for peace in the province, yet their efforts had not been acknowledged by state institutions or other political entities.
“The state has failed to trace or arrest the killers of Maulana Khan Zeb, who was assassinated in broad daylight in Bajaur a few weeks ago,” he said, urging the federal government to adopt a solid and practical policy against terrorism and calling on the provincial government to end its double standards on militancy.
The ANP lawmaker also demanded the formation of a special parliamentary committee for peace in the province and called for the withdrawal of support for the Actions (in Aid of Civil Power) Regulation. The session was adjourned until August 11.
