Peshawar:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s prime minister Ali Amin Gandapur caught Wednesday with contradictory statements about military operations, for the first time he blamed his “failure” for a “eroded confidence between the army and the people”, and then described the security forces as “guests of the nation that must be protected from damage.”
“Our forces are our guests, and we will never tolerate any damage.
The prime minister asked for a united government effort, military, institutions and the public to restore peace, highlighting that terrorism remains the greatest obstacle to peace in the province.
“The founder of PTI (Imran Khan) and our vision was to raise the areas that have been deprived of development. For development, peace is essential, but unfortunately, peace has not been achieved here,” he added.
“Pakistan’s enemy countries never want peace here,” said Gandapur, added: “The roots of terrorism in Pakistan are linked to these hostile nations, and we must fight against terrorism together.”
He emphasized the importance of exposing people who try to create distrust between the public, the government and the security forces. “When the public is not with us, this war cannot be won. People’s support is crucial,” he added.
Gandapur further stressed the need to identify and eliminate terrorist facilitators. “Facilitating terrorists is not in our religion or is allowed by law,” he said.
“Terrorists hide among populations, and when they attack the forces, they also put civilians at risk. We cannot allow terrorists to remain in these areas,” the CM added.
The main minister also announced that Jirgas would begin since August 2 to involve local communities in efforts to eliminate terrorism, with the aim of avoiding military operations that can cause displacement. He said they would do everything possible to protect civilians during anti -terrorist actions.
Gandapur also addressed concerns about the mineral resources of the province, stating: “These resources belong to the province. No one has requested control over them, and we will not allow anyone to take control.”
He concluded by calling the people of KP to recognize those who spread harmful narratives and emphasized the need for unity in the fight against terrorism. “We will win this war together if we join,” he said.
Previously, an emergency meeting on the situation of the law and order was held under the presidency of the Prime Minister. The meeting was attended by members of the Parliamentary Party of PTI, the Chief Secretary, the Police Inspector, the additional main secretary and other relevant officials.
During the meeting, the situation of the law and order was reviewed in the light of the Bajaur incident, and the relevant authorities informed the prime minister about the last developments.
After the meeting, the main minister issued a video statement, stating that the provincial government supports the decisions taken during the recent conference of all parties on peace and security. He said the government is preparing for the implementation of these decisions.
By calling the Bajaur incident, a tragic event said that military operations against terrorism are causing civil victims, which negatively affect public trust. “These types of incidents are eroding public confidence in the army, and without public trust, we cannot win the war on terrorism,” he said.
The prime minister said that martyred security personnel in the war against terror is “our children too” and are as dear as civilians in the province. He said that defective policies are avoiding the proper recognition of these sacrifices and requested a review of such policies.
He said that a schedule had been issued to celebrate Jirgas in the fused districts. Jirgas at the local level will take place in the next ten days, followed by a Grand Jirga. Consultations with local elders, elected representatives and interested parties will help formulate a future course of action and narrative.
Gandapur said the recommendations of the Jirgas would be presented to security officials for a possible review of current policy. He reiterated that the fight against terrorism should be based on public trust.
He also expressed reservations regarding the use of “action in the aid of civil power”, and said that a assembly session was convened since August 1 to discuss this issue, among others, and determine if it is fulfilling its planned purpose.
“Our clear message is that we are with the people and we will make all the duration for them,” said the main minister, adding: “This is our province, our land. Incorrect decisions should not be imposed without consultation.”
He assured the public that Imran Khan’s party, his workers and the provincial government are with them. “We will not rest until your problems are solved,” he added.
Gandapur also said that he had ordered all the attached commissioners who do not impose the curfew or section 144 without the prior approval of the Department of Origin.
A meeting chaired by the main minister was also held on the situation of the law and order in Bajaur. Condolences and sympathies were expressed by the families of civilians and martyred security personnel in the incident.
The main minister announced RS10 million in compensation for the families of each civil and martyred security official, and RS2.5 million each for civilians and injured security personnel.
