PESHAWAR: Awami National Party central president Senator Aimal Wali Khan has condemned the suicide attack on the Aman Mela checkpoint in the Darazinda area of Dera Ismail Khan, describing the incident as a “state failure” and calling for greater responsibility from both the federal and provincial governments.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, Mr Khan said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was passing through what he described as one of the darkest periods in its history and alleged that the Pakhtun population was facing “systematic genocide”.

He said the continuing violence had left the province “burning in the fire of terrorism” while, according to him, the state appeared to be a silent spectator.

Mr Khan also condemned a reported attack on the ambulance carrying the body of one of the victims of the blast, describing it as inhumane.

The ANP leader questioned the government’s response to the worsening security situation and said blaming “Fitna al-Khawarij” and “Fitna al-Hindustan” could not absolve the state of its responsibilities.

“If these incidents are also the result of an external conspiracy, then whose constitutional responsibility is it to prevent them?” he asked.

He alleged that the federal and provincial governments had become detached from the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and were more concerned with their own interests than with the province’s security and other problems.

Mr Khan urged the governments to stop blaming each other and accept responsibility for maintaining peace and protecting citizens.

“The people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can no longer afford more funerals,” he said, adding that they needed peace and security rather than further experiments, promises and condemnations.

He expressed solidarity with the families of those killed and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2026