CHARSADDA: Awami National Party and Qaumi Watan Party have condemned the killing of innocent people in Bannu blasts and described the terror incident as a big question mark on the performance of the government and defence institutions.

In a statement issued from the party’s headquarters in Wali Bagh, Charsadda, ANP president Aimal Wali Khan said the federal and provincial governments’ ‘insensitivity and negligence towards the lives of the KP people’ was alarming.

He condemned the terror incident in Bannu and said the silence of the mainstream media on the killings of innocent people was criminal.

He said the people of KP, especially the residents of the southern districts, were forced to live under the shadow of insecurity and violence every day. “No one seems to care about their lives,” he regretted.

“Unfortunately, Pakhtuns are still divided, and this is the cause of our destruction. As a nation, our silence, apolitical attitude, and ignorance of our rights are pushing us further towards destruction,” he warned.

In a statement issued in Peshawar, ANP provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain insisted Pakhtuns were paying the price of state’s policies with their own blood. “Pakhtuns’ blood is being shed like water even during the holy month of Ramazan. The loss of 12 precious lives in the Bannu incident is extremely regrettable and condemnable,” he lamented.

He said the elements involved in such dastardly incidents did not even deserve to be called human beings. “The blood of these 12 martyrs is on the hands of the forces that brought these terrorists back to the country,” he said.

ANP, he said had strongly opposed the resettlement of terrorists, but its concerns were ignored, and the consequences of which were being borne by innocent citizens on daily basis.

The ANP leader demanded that the National Action Plan (NAP) be implemented in real sense to protect the life and property of people.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued in Peshawar, QWP chairman Aftab Ahmad Sherpao condemned the terror act in Bannu and said such incidents were increasing rapidly, but institutions were limited to only condemnation.

He said the horrific terrorist attack on Bannu Cantonment, the martyrdom of many innocent people, including children, and the injury of dozens, had shaken the nation. “Bannu has been a constant target of extremists for a long time,” he added.

Mr Sherpao said restoration of law and order in the province had become a dream due to non-implementation of NAP.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2025