Peshawar – Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Saturday called for a change in the country’s policy against terrorism, saying that a policy pursued for the past 22 years had failed to deliver lasting peace and that a new approach was needed.
The chief minister, during a visit to Kohat, met the families of police personnel and civilians martyred in the terrorist attack on the Police Lines and paid tribute to the police, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Special Branch, Rescue 1122, doctors, district administration and people of Kohat for their courage and resilience.
He also praised the security personnel and other responders who confronted the attackers during an operation that lasted nearly 20 hours. He said the police personnel and civilians who lost their lives while confronting the terrorists had made the ultimate sacrifice for the protection of the country.
The chief minister prayed for the elevation of the martyrs’ ranks in Jannah, patience for their bereaved families and the early recovery of those injured in the attack.
Mr Afridi said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been fighting terrorism continuously since 2004 and had suffered the loss of more than 80,000 lives during this period. He said peace had eventually been achieved in the province after immense sacrifices during the tenure of former prime minister Imran Khan.
He said that, during that period, Pakistan’s foreign policy had been pursued with the interests of the people and the country as its primary consideration.
Referring to Afghanistan, the chief minister said that despite what he described as an India-friendly government in Kabul and strained relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Imran Khan had played a statesmanlike role by inviting the Afghan government to Pakistan and working to improve bilateral relations. He claimed that peace had prevailed and terrorism had largely subsided during that period.
Mr Afridi said the situation had since changed, alleging that the Afghan government had been welcomed by what he described as “bogus and imposed rulers” in Pakistan, while relations had subsequently deteriorated. He said trade had been disrupted, the border closed, economic activity in the tribal districts brought to a standstill and terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa increased.
The chief minister claimed that the closure of the border had caused the province losses of more than Rs8 billion during the previous financial year and warned that further economic losses were likely during the current financial year.
He attributed the deteriorating security situation to what he described as a failed foreign policy, saying the same policy had been followed for 22 years without producing the desired results.
“If a policy is not delivering results and is continuously failing, there is a need to shift the policy,” he said.
Mr Afridi said the policy being proposed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was not intended to serve the interests of the PTI but to safeguard the interests of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan.
He claimed that, if implemented, the proposed policy could restore peace within 100 days.
The chief minister criticised the federal government and state institutions for what he described as their focus on restricting the political activities of PTI instead of addressing the growing threat of terrorism.
He said the people and police of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continued to bear the greatest burden of the fight against terrorism, with police personnel remaining on the frontline, sustaining injuries and losing their lives, while civilians continued to be killed and injured.
Mr Afridi said it was regrettable that the sacrifices of the people and security personnel of the province were not being given due recognition.
Referring to what he described as the prevailing state narrative, the chief minister criticised the federal government and political leadership for allegedly portraying the province and its people in a negative light while failing to give sufficient attention to the threat of terrorism.
He also referred to the term “Fitna-tul-Hindustan” and criticised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz over her reported remarks concerning threats from India and Pakistan’s provinces. He described her as a “bogus chief minister” and alleged that the federal government and state institutions were more focused on suppressing PTI’s political activities than tackling terrorism.
He said PTI’s political activities were being restricted, alleging that the party’s flag was not being allowed to be raised, its public gatherings and protests were being prevented and its political message was not being permitted to be presented openly.
The chief minister said that while attention was being focused on political matters, little consideration was being given to the people making sacrifices on the frontline against terrorism.
He questioned the policy of treating India as a lesser threat while, in his view, considering the country’s own provinces and their political activities a greater concern, saying such an approach was deeply regrettable for a province that had made enormous sacrifices for Pakistan.
Addressing the youth, people and police of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mr Afridi urged them to remain steadfast and maintain their morale. He said they had to stand up for themselves, their people, their province and Pakistan.
He said the people and police of the province had continued to fight terrorism with courage and determination for 22 years and had not allowed their resolve to break.
The chief minister announced financial assistance for the families of those martyred in the Kohat attack who were not covered by the government’s Shuhada Package.
He also announced the provision of modern medical equipment at District Headquarters Hospital Kohat, saying shortages of CT scanners, MRI machines and other essential equipment would be addressed.
Mr Afridi said the revamping of all district headquarters hospitals across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was under way and modern medical equipment would be provided wherever required.
He announced the reconstruction of the mosque damaged in the Kohat attack, saying it would be rebuilt to a high standard. He also announced the establishment of a Special Branch police station in Kohat and directed that the project be completed at the earliest.
The chief minister further directed that the Kohat Police Hospital be improved and provided with the necessary facilities.
He said the healthcare burden on Kohat was substantial and recalled that a 1,000-bed hospital had already been announced for the district. He said the project would be fully funded by the provincial government and efforts would be made to complete it in about six months.
Mr Afridi also took note of the shortage of police personnel in Kohat and said the matter would be placed before the provincial cabinet for a decision.
Earlier, the chief minister visited District Headquarters Hospital Kohat, where he met injured persons undergoing treatment following the attack and expressed his best wishes for their speedy recovery.
Member of the National Assembly Shehryar Afridi, Provincial Ministers Shafi Jan and Aftab Alam, and Member of the Provincial Assembly Dawood Afridi were also present on the occasion.
