PESHAWAR/ABBOTTABAD: Police said that incidents of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained at the lowest level during 2016 as compared to the previous six years.

A statement issued here said that Salahud Din, the additional inspector general of Counter-Terrorism Department, briefed IGP Nasir Khan Durrani on the current situation in the province. It said that during the year 2016, a total of 238 incidents of terrorism took place as compared to 610 and 297 in the year of 2014 and 2015 respectively.

The incidents of kidnapping for ransom and extortion also showed a remarkable decrease as compared to last three years. It said that 100 cases of extortion were recorded as compared to 344 incidents in 2014 and 178 incidents in 2015. The statement said that 22 incidents of kidnapping for ransom took place as compared to 110 and 53 incidents in 2014 and 2015 respectively. It said that 238 incidents of terrorism took place in 2016 that claimed 181lives. Police arrested 1,195 militants and 121 proclaimed offenders in 2016 while 1,192 cases of terrorism were traced.

In Abbottabad, SSP Taj Sultan told journalists that 67 cases were registered in 2016 out of which 53 challans were submitted to courts and 10 accused were convicted. He said that CTD arrested notorious terrorists and proclaimed offenders involved in cases of terrorism. The arrested persons were sign of fear for the people of Malakand and Hazara divisions in particular and for the country in general, he added.

The official said that 126 targeted operations were conducted in Swat and Hazara in 2016. He said that 130 persons were arrested in the targeted operations. He said that 198 search and strike operations were conducted during the previous year and 14 persons were arrested. He said that along with other law enforcement agencies, CTD was also assigned that task of protection and surveillance of CPEC route. It helped Chinese to improve their security system as currently Hazara division was the only and main route of CPEC, he added.

Published in Dawn January 17th, 2017