PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday admitted an adjournment motion on the ‘deteriorating’ law and order situation in Swat and other districts of Malakand division and tribal districts for general discussion.

The motion was jointly tabled by MPAs of the opposition Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) Inayatullah Khan and Humaira Khatoon during a session presided over by Deputy Speaker Mahmood Jan.

The chair warned opposition Awami National Party members Bahadur Khan and Nisar Mohmand of action under Rule 227 of the Provincial Assembly Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules over their ‘inappropriate behaviour’ as the two tried to speak without his permission.

The motion said the law and order situation in Swat and other districts of Malakand division as well as in tribal districts was fast deteriorating causing fears among the residents.

Chair warns ANP members over ‘inappropriate behaviour’

It added that a wave of lawlessness had swept through the region and, after repeated incidents of targeted killings, some armed men held officials of the law-enforcement agencies, including a deputy superintendent of police, hostage in Swat.

Separately, a vehicle of ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MPA Liaquat Ali came under fire in Maidan area of Lower Dir district leaving four people martyred and the lawmaker injured.

Through the motion, the two lawmakers urged the government to share facts about it with the people.

Labour minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai did not oppose the motion but sought time for collecting details of the law and order situation in Malakand division.

He asked the chair to a fix date for general discussion on the motion.

During question hour, the government informed the assembly through a written reply that the Provincial Task Force on Human Rights had held only two meetings during the last six years.

The official reply said the task force was constituted in August 2016 with the parliamentary affairs minister being its chairman.

The force held its first meeting in 2017, while the second meeting was called in July 2022.

Responding to the supplementary question moved by MPA Rehana Ismail, minister Shaukat Yousafzai said the task force was reconstituted in 2021 and its term of references had been re-framed.

Replying to another question by Pakistan Peoples Party member Nighat Yasmin Orakzai, housing minister Dr Amjad said the provincial government had allocated funds in the current budget for new housing colonies in tribal districts.

He said the relevant department had asked deputy commissioners of tribal districts to identify suitable sites, including state lands, for housing schemes.

The minister said the housing sector in tribal districts, especially South Waziristan, was badly damaged during militancy and the government wanted to launch schemes.

The government also informed the house that outdated machinery of the works and services department would be auctioned very soon.

It said it had collected data of the machinery, while the administration department would carry out an auction soon.

The government also introduced the Upper Swat Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2022, in the assembly. The chair later adjourned the sitting until 2pm today (Tuesday).

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2022