KP Assembly proceedings: MPAs concerned at lawlessness, threatening calls

PESHAWAR: The worsening law and order situation in the province and threatening calls to the lawmakers including Sardar Hussain Babak of the Awami National Party (ANP) echoed in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday.

After recitation from the Holy Quran, Nighat Orakzai of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on point of order said the law and order situation was worsening day by day.

She said three cops were martyred in Akora Khattak in the Nowshera district the other day and some days back policemen were martyred in Lakki Marwat besides targeting the security forces jawans in Shabqadar, etc.

The lawmaker paid tributes to the police for the sacrifices but said ministers and government functionaries were enjoying protocols while the opposition members were receiving threatening calls.

Khushdil Khan of the ANP supported her point and said the police force was being attacked and lawmakers were receiving threatening calls while the government had become a silent spectator. He called for special attention to the issue.

Pakhtunyar of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said thee persons from his constituency in Bannu were kidnaped in North Waziristan and later martyred while the administration arrested and booked those protesting against the killing. He said the arrested people should be released immediately otherwise he would lead a dharna (sit-in) against the killings.

The ANP parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak said not only he but also other House members received threatening calls and the house of his party MPA from Shangla, Faisal Zaib, was fired upon twice. He questioned why the government was silent and state and the government were not fulfilling their responsibilities.

“Investors and rich people were forced to migrate to other provinces”, he said adding not only ANP but also members from PTI were receiving threats. He said the ANP government terrorists were carrying out attacks but the government was standing with the public, unlike the PTI.

The ANP legislator said an unelected spokesman of the provincial government was holding talks with the banned TTP and people in Swat and Buner were on roads for peace but the provincial chief executive was silent. “Has the provincial government no suitable person among its 95 elected MPAs that an unelected man has been made spokesman for the government?”, he posed a question.

Sardar Muhammad Yousaf of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) said how can an ordinary man would be safe if the MPAs were threatened. He said PTI has been in the government in the province for the last nine years and instead of improvement, the government was unable to pay salaries. He demanded the formation of a parliamentary committee to look into the worsening law and order situation and forward suggestions as the government had failed in maintaining law and order.

Fazal Hakim and Shah Muhammad of the PTI expressed concern over the bad law and order situation and vowed to stand united against terrorism. They said all the members and people of the province as a whole were united against terrorists and would remain so irrespective of political affiliations.

In his reply, Advisor to the Chief Minister on Interior Babar Salim Swati said the Home Department was not oblivious to the situation and was trying its best to maintain law and order.

During the last 10 months, 540 terrorists were apprehended, 141 terrorists and proclaimed offenders killed in police encounters while 88 cops embraced martyrdom and 109 were injured, he told the House.