PESHAWAR: The counter-terrorism department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has stressed the need for improved security across the province, especially in the areas bordering Afghanistan, for the Feb 8 general elections.

“This entire province is the area of concern for us, so improvement in the security situation is required for the upcoming polls. The Category ‘A’ security [enhanced security measures] has to be ensured in areas close to Pak-Afghan border,” CTD deputy inspector general Imran Shahid told reporters here.

He said that no one sought his department’s input about the areas requiring strict security for general elections.

The official said that his department couldn’t take risk as the ‘delicate’ law and order situation was reported in the past.

He said that militant attacks had taken place even in the country’s “safest areas” like Islamabad.

Says entire province is ‘area of concern’

Mr Shahid said additional security measures were taken in the areas, where the law and order situation was volatile in the past.

“The police provide security for elections in Abbottabad, too, but that is normal security. Our focus always remains on the areas, which are vulnerable to untoward incidents,” he said.

The official, however, said that the Swat teams equipped with modern gadgets were present across the department’s 17 regions.

He said that it was a “long-term battle” against terrorism and the department was ready to fight it.

Meanwhile, the CTD has revealed that it as well as law-enforcement and intelligence agencies carried out 2,531 intelligence-based operations against militants across the province in the outgoing year.

It added that 961 militants, including 44 high-profile ones, were arrested and 266 militants were gunned down in encounters.

“A total of 16 suicide attacks took place in our province with the major one targeting the headquarters of Peshawar police. We foiled 17 suicide attacks this year by arresting 18 suspected bombers and seizing 17 explosives-laden jackets,” CTD SSP Najmul Hasnain told Dawn.

He claimed that the number of targeted killings declined in 2023 compared to last year.

Mr Hasnain said that 80 incidents of targeted killings took place in 2022 across the province but the number went down to 51 in 2023.

He added that six cases of kidnapping for ransom were reported in 2023 compared to eight in 2022.

“A total of 243 police establishments [police stations and checkposts] were attacked by militants, who carried sophisticated weapons but the police repulsed 133 of them,” he said.

The official said the province recorded 121 extortion cases in the outgoing year with 69 of them being “worked out.”

He said 159 extortionists were arrested and 14 killed in encounters.

Mr Hasnain also said the department seized 651kg of explosives and 463 hand grenades in separate operations in the year.

Other CTD officials told Dawn that the department registered 1,093 terror cases in 2023 and traced culprits in 810 cases.

They added that the courts acquitted 14 “militants” and convicted 33.

The officials said that in many cases, the people, who met extortion demands of criminals, were booked as their money was used against the state.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2023