Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Sunday said a comprehensive plan had been prepared for the restoration of law and order in the province, highlighting that it was the government’s top priority.
Pakistan witnessed an uptick in terror activities last year, especially in KP and Balochistan after the banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
Last month, a late-night attack on a police station in Dera Ismail Khan was repulsed. Gunmen had mounted an attack using heavy weapons but fled in the cover of darkness when police personnel fired back.
In December last year, 23 soldiers were martyred and more than 30 troops wounded after militants belonging to the Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan (TJP) stormed a compound used by the military in Dera Ismail Khan’s Daraban area.
According to an annual security report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan witnessed 1,524 violence-related fatalities and 1,463 injuries from 789 terror attacks and counter-terror operations in 2023 — marking a record six-year high.
KP and Balochistan were the primary centres of violence, accounting for over 90 per cent of all fatalities and 84pc of attacks, including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations.
Speaking to the media today during his first-ever visit to Dera Ismail Khan after being elected as the chief minister, the PTI leader asserted that the security plan would be implemented soon as it was imperative for the progress of any area.
He said steps would also be taken for the safety of police and other forces in light of the rise in terror attacks last year.
The chief minister said the government will also bring back the Sehat Card facility. “We have to improve the treatment facilities at public hospitals,” he said, expressing hope that the people would not feel the need to visit private hospitals as the provision of all facilities would be ensured at public hospitals.
Commenting on the current wave of inflation, he said the provincial government will give Rs10,000 each to 850,000 deserving families of the province under the Ramazan package. “It will be handed over to them at their doorstep respectfully,” CM Gandapur said.
He said the government would also take steps to provide business opportunities to people rather than only giving them charity or stipends.
Gandapur said the women would be given employment opportunities at their homes and the youth would be provided with skill training. He added that the consultation was underway with other countries in this regard.
He noted that food security was another big issue of the country and one of the real factors behind the inflation was insufficient availability of stock.
“The provincial government would construct small dams,” he said, adding that the work over the TankZam dam and the Lift Canal Project would begin soon.
Gandapur vowed to transform KP into a model province by focusing on revenue generation rather than taking loans.
Regarding his talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Gandapur said the KP government would also cooperate with the federal government keeping in view the economic situation of the country.
The chief minister urged the media to play their due role in highlighting the real issues of the masses as it was a bridge between the government and the people.
He concluded that the KP government would always welcome constructive criticism of the media and also take appropriate action over it.
