KP CM orders police to act against armed elements

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Sunday ordered the police to move into action by arresting those armed elements roaming freely and interfering in official and private affairs.

“I direct police to arrest forthwith the armed elements wherever they are found. The police should take strict action against such elements. Wherever they have positions, these should be vacated,” said the chief minister in a video statement issued on the Bannu violent incident.

Giving the background to his directives, Gandapur said that he had clearly stated during the Apex Committee meeting after assuming office that some armed people were found roaming while posing to be government officials and associating themselves with government departments. They were interfering in the government and non-governmental affairs. The chief minister said he had stated in the Apex Committee that the KP government, police and people in general had serious reservations over all this. “I had pointed out this as well during the meeting over the National Action Plan,” he recalled.

Talking about the recent Bannu violence, he said he was grateful to the elders of Bannu, his party (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) leaders, and other people for sitting with the administration to sort out the issue through talks.

“The elders have constituted a committee. This committee will meet me on Monday to discuss the issue,” he said. Gandapur said we were public representatives and had come into power through the people’s mandate. “We have always stood by the people and will do so in the future as well,” he stressed. The chief minister promised to address the Bannu people’s reservations over the issue. “We will come up to their expectations as it is our responsibility as a government. The people have a right to that,” he added.