PESHAWAR, Sept 13: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly members on Tuesday condemned the Peshawar school van attack and criticised law-enforcers for failing to curb militancy.

PML-Q MPA Nighat Orakzai told the House on a point of order that law-enforcement agencies, including police, had set up checkpoints across the provincial capital but miserably failed to arrest the van attackers.

She said there was no denying the fact that law-enforcers had rendered tremendous sacrifices in the fight against militancy but the grim reality was that militants continued to kill innocent people in the province at will.

Nighat said militants attacked the school van but police insisted that unidentified people were behind the attack.

She also criticised police for closing roads in the name of security arrangements for the ongoing session and requested Speaker Kiramatullah Chagharmati to order early opening of the arteries near the assembly building to the traffic.

Saqibullah Chamkani, of ANP, also condemned the van attack and held the intelligence agencies for it.

“Unfortunately, our agencies have yet to adopt a clear policy against militancy and terrorism. I don't know where the law-enforcement and state agencies have gone,” he said.

The MPA suggested that the government set up a special committee consisting of all parliamentary leaders for extensive briefing by intelligence agencies on militancy.

He said militants had stepped up their activities in his constituency, adding that five schools were blown up of late.

Chamkani said militants were bringing a bad name to Islam and Pakhtuns by killing innocent people, including children.

“They are neither Muslims nor human beings. They are simply beasts,” he said.

MMA MPA Akhtar Ali regretted that not a single militant had been punished over the years.

He said the growing incidents of terrorism in the country showed that the government had yet to take concrete steps for fighting out militancy.

“The government should take an across-the-board action against militants,” he said.

Naseer Midadkhel, who also belongs to MMA, said the government should have a clear policy regarding militancy and enforce it without delay.He complained that police in Lakki Marwat had stopped people of Pizo Darra from re-constructing houses destroyed in suicide attack after Eidul Fitr.

Provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain denied that the government had a vague anti-militancy policy.

He said mistrust among Pakistan, Afghanistan and the U.S. was a major hurdle to counterterrorism. He urged all stakeholders to get together against terrorism and militancy. The minister said the May 2 U.S. raid in Abbottabad to kill Osama bin Laden increased the mistrust among three major players.

“Militancy can't be defeated if the mistrust continues,” he said.

Hussain feared that the killing of innocent people by militants could continue for 15 more years.

“People should prepare themselves for difficult times,” he said.

The minister urged MPAs to rise above party politics for counterterrorism.