KP Assembly to discuss deteriorating law, order situation

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday approved an adjournment motion for a general debate about the deteriorating law and order situation in the province.

It asked the provincial government as well as law enforcement agencies to take concrete steps for peace, security and protection to the people and their properties in the province. The adjournment motion was moved by Pakistan Peoples Party Member Provincial Assembly Ahmad Karim Kundi who had pointed out day to day increase in target killing, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, terrorism and militancy in most parts of the province.

In support of the adjournment motion, the PPP MPA also spoke about ongoing tribal clashes in Kurram district that he claimed had taken over 40 human lives and injured more than 150 people.

The motion was adopted unanimously by the House for general discussion. Earlier, the newly elected MPA of the Awami National Party from PK-22 Bajaur Mohammad Nisar Baz took oath as a member of the provincial assembly.

In his maiden speech, he said that insecurity and the deteriorating law and order situation in Bajaur, other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially in newly merged districts, was at its worst.

“We have to raise our voice for peace collectively as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the only province where the people want protection for their lives and properties,” he said. The ANP MPA added that development work, investment and economic stability were linked to lasting peace in the province.

“The investors and industrialists are leaving the province and shifting their industries to other provinces,” he said, adding that some forces had turned the Pakhtun soil as battleground and a platform for a war economy for the last many decades.

“Our people are holding amn pasoon (peace march) for permanent peace in their areas which is the sole responsibility of the state and security institutions but unfortunately the state has failed to provide security and protection to its citizens,” he said.

The MPA asked for full implementation of the National Action Plan for the complete elimination of terrorism and militancy and the provision of the developmental fund to merged districts as promised at the time of their merger into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Nisar Baz, who was elected on the ANP ticket in the by-poll from Bajaur, also demanded an investigation into the killing of former candidate late Rehanzeb and former senator Hidayatullah Khan and others who had fallen prey to terrorist acts before general and by-elections in Bajaur. He asked the PTI-led government to order a judicial commission into the killing of Rehan Zeb who was killed by unknown people in broad daylight during his election campaign.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also witnessed a heated debate over a question related to peace agreement between the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the Janikhel tribe in Bannu during the last PTI government in March 2021.

During the question hour, an independent MPA from Bannu, Adnan Wazir, claimed that the provincial government had failed to establish peace in the Janikhel area where the local people had staged a sit-in after four of the local people were killed by unknown armed men.

“I cannot go to my home located in the constituency where I have been elected as the government has not established its writ in the area,” he said and added that the local people did not want a development package but permanent peace in their area.

Upon his insistence, the question was referred to the Standing Committee of the House for a detailed discussion and investigation as to why the agreement with Janikhel tribesmen was not implemented as promised by the local people.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati in his ruling directed the provincial ministers not to defend their respective departments but to honour the commitment to the general people for peace, development and social justice. The session was adjourned till Tuesday afternoon.