PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday condemned India’s hostile actions against Pakistan, including threats of aggression and suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, following the Pahalgam attack.

During a session chaired by Taj Mohammad, the house unanimously passed a resolution, supporting the federal government’s right to act in the national interest.

“The house reaffirms its full support for the government of Pakistan’s sovereign right to safeguard national interests through all necessary measures,” read the resolution jointly moved by the treasury and opposition benches.

It urged the international community to take immediate notice of violation of international obligations by India and to play its role in ensuring regional peace and stability.

Calls for enforcement of Constitutional provisions on fair trial, free speech

“This house stands with the people and armed forces of Pakistan in the defence of the homeland,” it read.

During the sitting, treasury members said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf would always defend the country and that the armed forces would teach India a lesson it would never forget.

PTI MPA Shafiullah Jan said India always blamed Pakistan whenever some incident happened on its soil, but ironically, the federal government remained silent.

Referring to the 2019 Operation Swift Retort, Mr Jan said the then prime minister, Imran Khan, had ordered the shooting down of Indian fighter jets in case they crossed into Pakistan.

“We will fight for our national interests until the last drop of our blood,” he said.

The lawmaker said only PTI founder Imran Khan had the ability to unite the nation, so people should support him.

Also, the house unanimously adopted a resolution, demanding immediate and unconditional release of former National Assembly member Ali Wazir from the prison.

The resolution, tabled by ANP member Mohammad Nisar Baaz, demanded that all “political” cases filed against Mr Wazir be withdrawn and that all political prisoners be given the right to free speech and peaceful political activities as guaranteed by the Constitution.

It called for the implementation of the Constitutional provisions on fair trial, freedom of speech, and protection of people’s self-respect.

JUI-F member Adnan Khan showed dissatisfaction with the answer submitted to his question during the question hour and insisted that in August 2023, security personnel killed an “innocent” person, Abdul Razzaq Khan, from the Janikhel area in Bannu district, leading to street protests.

He added that authorities later admitted the “mistake” and the district administration promised to compensate the deceased’s family members.

“The district administration also wrote a letter to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority for compensation, but the PDMA asked the family to approach the chief minister for the cabinet’s nod to compensation insisting the amount of Rs2.5 million was beyond its jurisdiction,” he said.

Law minister Aftab Alam Afridi told the house that under the rules, the PDMA could not pay compensation beyond Rs1 million, so any application for that amount was returned with the observation that directives are required from the chief minister.

He said he would issue directives to relevant quarters to take up the matter as a “special case.”

Mr Kundi also expressed dissatisfaction with the answer given by the revenue and estate department to his question and claimed that several government officers, who owned houses in Peshawar, influenced the department and were allotted official residences.

He added that deserving people were denied official residences.

The lawmaker requested the chair to refer the question to the house’s relevant committee for further discussion and recommendations.

The speaker observed that those houses were never vacated by government officers even after their transfer from Peshawar.

Mr Afridi said the chief minister had devised a policy on the matter and it was “under process.”

He said old government houses would be demolished and high-rise buildings would be constructed to accommodate more and more government officers.

The question was later referred to the relevant house committee.

PPP member Ehsanullah claimed that Dera Ismail Khan had 51 per cent of the province’s agricultural land, so the irrigation system should be improved for better water supply.

He added that Gomal Zam’s canal system was handed over to the irrigation department in 2014 but it hadn’t become fully “functional.”

The lawmaker said 462 watercourses were to be built throughout the Gomal Zam irrigation system but only 192 could be built in the last 11 years.

He said the relevant ministers had promised the formation of a coordination committee on the matter but that had yet to happen.

Mr Ehsanullah said Rs70 million was released and spent on the irrigation system but nothing was seen on the ground due to corruption.

The corruption allegation led to heated exchanges between treasury and opposition members.

Law minister Afridi alleged that during the current and past PDM governments, its members, who currently held opposition benches in the province, embezzled billions of rupees worth of funds, while thousands of people were recruited in departments during the last caretaker setup.

He later tabled the KP Sentencing Amendment Bill, 2025, in the house, while the social welfare minister presented the KP Commission on the Status of Women Amendment Bill, 2025. Also, the assembly passed the KP Judicial Officer Welfare Fund Bill, 2025.

JUI-F member Adnan Khan noted that a sit-in was under way in Miryan tehsil against the enforced disappearance of schoolteacher Farman Ali for the last five years.

“These unknown kidnappers of missing persons are known to us. The Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, but Ali was picked up in broad daylight when he was on his way from school to home,” he said, wondering how long the people will have to stage sit-ins against such incidents.

The lawmaker said the entire Bannu city had been blocked, troubling residents.

The chair later adjourned the sitting until 2pm on May 5.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2025