CLARIFYING that no new military offensive was on the cards, the Government has expressed its resolve to continue action against terrorism in KP under the National Action Plan (NAP) despite objections by the PTI/KP Government.
Minister of State for Interior, Talal Choudhary, while responding to a statement of PTI leader and former Speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser, informed the lower house that no one can stop such measures, which are aimed at restoring peace and security in the province. He pointed out that it is also the responsibility of the provincial government to tackle the menace, saying Khyber Pakhtunkhwa received Rs700 billion under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award for counter-terrorism measures.
There is no denying the fact that both KP and Balochistan face the worst kind of terrorism, presenting serious threats to the lives and properties of the citizens as well as state symbols, necessitating concrete action to eradicate the menace. Protection of life and property of the citizens is basically the responsibility of the provincial governments but the Centre chips in when the federating units fail to fulfill their responsibility either because of capacity issues or lack of necessary interest due to political considerations. Terrorist activities are on the rise in the two provinces as was also highlighted by the fact that as the Minister was making a statement in the parliament, at least four civilians were martyred while 14 others, including two policemen, were injured in a remotely-detonated bomb attack on a police patrol vehicle in a bustling marketplace of South Waziristan tribal district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. This was not an isolated incident as personnel of the law enforcing agencies and ordinary souls are targeted on an almost daily basis in the two provinces but regrettably some circles are doing politics over an issue of grave nature. Army personnel and those of law enforcing agencies have no personal scores to settle, rather they are offering sacrifices for the cause of the provinces and the country and, therefore, their hands should be strengthened by all. The Minister has a point in reminding the PTI that the TTP terrorists, who were forced to flee the province to neighbouring Afghanistan in the face of a comprehensive counter-terrorism operation, were brought back by the then PTI Government and settled in the province. Now these very elements, in collaboration with their masters and handlers across the international border, are trying to challenge the writ of the state. He was also relevant in asking why the province could not implement plans for capacity building of the police despite receiving Rs. 700 billion in the name of counter-terrorism. There should be neither practical (or local) nor political support for those engaged in terrorist activities and trying to block the path of progress and prosperity.
