PESHAWAR: As the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief was hurriedly summoned to the provincial assembly for a closed-door briefing on the law and order situation, ruling PTI member from Bajaur tribal district Anwar Zaib Khan claimed on the floor of the house that terrorists from Afghanistan had captured 15 security checkpoints deep in their area.
On a point of order during a session chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, the lawmaker insisted that terrorists had made significant inroads into his PK-20 constituency.
He said the security forces had asked people in the Banda Malasaid area, which falls under the constituency, to vacate their houses so that a military operation could be launched to recapture those posts.
“The terrorists entered the area last Sunday in broad daylight and took over checkpoints before raising the flags of the Emirate-i-Islami Afghanistan and shouting slogans in its favor,” he said, adding that videos of the attack were circulating, recorded by terrorists. social networks.
At PA session, Anwar Zaib raises questions about infiltration across fenced border
The MPA also said that the Banda Malasaid checkpoints, previously manned by security forces or jointly with local police, were located in his constituency, away from the Afghan border.
He stated that those posts were captured by around 400 militants and questioned the effectiveness of the border fencing.
“I wonder how the terrorists crossed the fenced border in such large numbers,” he said.
Khan said residents called him early on Tuesday seeking permission to leave their homes, fearing an imminent military operation in the area, so he advised them to move their families to safety.
“They have no choice but to relocate,” he said.
The lawmaker also claimed that the terrorists had dug bunkers in the occupied zone to strengthen their position.
He complained of recurrent displacement of people from the tribal region due to military operations and said residents “could no longer afford” relocation.
Khan insisted that repeated military operations were carried out in the region, but even then the terrorists could not be eliminated.
He said people knew who was behind the resurgence of terrorists, especially after the escape of a former spokesperson of banned terrorist group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Ihsanullah Ihsan, from custody.
President Swati also expressed concern over Khan’s claim, saying it has raised serious questions about how terrorists from Afghanistan reached the tribal region and seized checkpoints.
Participating in the debate on the state of security in the province, MPA Aurangzaib Khan stated that the situation is deteriorating rapidly, especially in the merged tribal districts.
He said that after attending a security briefing by the police chief, he thought things would never get better in the country.
The legislator stated that in several districts of the province the population demands peace and not development projects.
Opposition MP Ahmad Karim Kundi noted that most people in his constituency feared for their lives, so they prayed for peace.
He also urged the president to establish a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate who brought back the terrorists and helped them.
Kundi also sought amendments to the assembly’s working rules for formation of a standing security committee and said all security operations should be carried out only after approval by that panel.
The speaker agreed and said business rules were already being reviewed.
“We will modify the rules for the formation of the proposed permanent security committee,” he declared before adjourning the session until 2:00 p.m. today (Wednesday).
Published in Dawn, January 1, 2025
