Poor law and order echoes in KP Assembly

PESHAWAR: Opposition parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday expressed concern over the fresh wave of militancy, target killings and deteriorating law and order in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in the southern districts of the province.

The opposition benches asked the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government in the province to focus its attention towards the prevailing insecurity in newly merged districts especially in Kurram, Bajaur, Khyber, North Waziristan and South Waziristan districts where the government had almost lost its writ.

The provincial assembly also passed a resolution asking the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to implement the Murree Accord signed between Sunni and Shia Muslims for resolving the land and other disputes in Kurram district.

The resolution was moved by Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl MPA from Kurram Mohammad Riaz at the end of general debate on law and order and ongoing conflict in the province and Kurram district.

Parliamentary leader of the Awami National Party Arbab Usman Khan while speaking on point of order said that the government had lost its writ in recent months in the southern districts of the province where the militants and armed men not only targeted people but also targeted and attacked security forces personnel and installations.

“We have to focus our attention and energy towards the worst law and order and the opposition parties will fully support the provincial government in its move for restoring peace in the province,” the ANP MPA said and added that a multi-parties conference should be convened on a single point agenda.

Pakistan People’s Party parliamentary party leader Ahmad Karim Kundi said that a House committee should be constituted for improving law and order in the province. He claimed that not only the southern districts but the entire province was in the grip of militancy and lawlessness. “The well-off people are leaving the province while those who had stayed in their hometowns were being left at the mercy of militants and armed men,” the PPP MPA said and added that the local courts from Tank city had been shifted to Dera Ismail Khan due to insecurity in Tank district. “Peace must be our top priority and we don’t politicize this issue,” promising the provincial government that the opposition parties would fully back the initiative of the government for restoring peace and improving law and order in the province.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA from Kurram Ali Hadi said the local people had badly suffered due to closure of main roads and bazaars in Kurram district where now the people were faced with the shortage of food items and medicines. “Land disputes led to sectarian clashes and violence in parts of Kurram district where innocent passengers were targeted by armed men in the presence of security personnel,” he said and added the government must take practical steps to resolve the land and other disputes among the local people and tribes for lasting peace in volatile Kurram district.

Provincial Minister Suhail Afridi said that militancy and insecurity was not new in the province but the present government had inherited it from the past government, adding that the government had concentrated to improve law and order in the province.

He asked all political parties including those in power in the federal government should play their role for defusing tension and unrest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The session was adjourned till Friday afternoon.