PESHAWAR: The poor law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa echoed in the provincial assembly here on Tuesday, with members from both sides of the aisle voicing concern about the people’s growing insecurity.

During a session chaired by Deputy Speaker Suriya Bibi, the lawmakers insisted that even the cattle weren’t safe in the province, especially in tribal districts.

They complained that dozens of buffalos and cows were burnt alive in the Mirali area of the North Waziristan tribal district when security forces and militants recently clashed.

The MPAs criticised the media for not reporting the “grave incident” after raising a hue and cry over the chopping of a camel’s leg in the Sindh province.

Insist even cattle unsafe in tribal districts

Agriculture minister Mohammad Sajjad insisted that those who were being killed didn’t know why they were targeted, and even the culprits were unaware of the objective of their act.

He said that the people’s future was at stake.

The minister argued that all development work was useless if the people didn’t feel safe.

“If we set up 1,000 universities and build 1,000 dams but people’s lives are threatened, then all such exercises become futile,” he said.

Mr Sajjad said that the law and order situation had deteriorated so much that even the cattle were vulnerable though they didn’t support any political party, military, or militants.

Member of the opposition ANP Mohammad Nisar Khan from Bajaur tribal district pointed out that the morale of the police in the province was on the decline due to the targeted attacks.

He said that the nighttime attacks on police checkposts had become the order of the day in Bajaur tribal district, spreading insecurity among personnel.

Mr Khan said it was the prime responsibility of the provincial government to provide security to the people.

He said the prime minister and the chief minister were required to ask “those at the helm of affairs” about the delicate security, but they couldn’t dare to do so.

Mr Khan wondered when both provincial and federal governments were meant for the people, then why they’re tight-lipped about the growing uncertainty.

He demanded of the prime minister and the chief minister to summon the heads of law-enforcement agencies and ask them why lawlessness wasn’t coming to an end.

MPA Naik Mohammad Khan complained about the rough treatment of Waziristan children, women and elderly people by authorities and declared them without comparison.

He said that the security forces had displaced tribal people from their areas for launching military operations against militants while promising that they would find peaceful Waziristan on return, but that didn’t happen.

The lawmaker argued that on homecoming, the people in tribal districts found their homes, markets and other properties in ruins, while peace, too, was elusive. He said that those residents were paid just Rs400,000 to reconstruct houses.

“This amount is insufficient for even constructing a room,” he said.

The deputy speaker later put off the session until Oct 7 due to insufficient quorum.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2024