PESHAWAR: Members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday expressed serious concerns over the “deteriorating” law and order situation in several parts of the province and insisted that it was the state’s responsibility to protect public life and property.

The observation came as the house continued to debate the security situation and the ravages of the recent floods in the province.

During the session chaired by Deputy Speaker Suriya Bibi, MPA of the ruling PTI from Swat Shakeel Khan noted that the state was responsible for protecting the lives and properties of its people.

He blamed the “worsening” law and order situation with the involvement of the military establishment in politics and said, “Both parties to the war on terror are the faces of the same coin.”

The legislator wondered who trained and protected terrorists and provided them with sanctuaries.

Wonder who trained, protected terrorists

He said that his constituency in Malakand region used to be the most peaceful area in the province but authorities brought terrorists to the top of the hills in its two union councils.

“When they [terrorists] started their activities, a military colonel went to residents and asked them to have a jirga with them,” he said.

Mr Khan said that jirga should be held by those who brought terrorists in and not residents.

He also came down hard on his party’s government in the province over missing facilities and staff shortages in government schools and hospitals and said buildings without staff were of no use.

Lawmaker from Kurram tribal district Ali Hadi drew the government’s attention towards the mysterious killing of the members of both Shia and Sunni communities in his area and warned that there was a possibility of a law and order crisis emerging in the constituency.

“If those at the helm of affairs don’t take notice of those killings by unidentified people, the day is not far when the strife will return to Kurram,” he said.

Mr Khan said ahead of the previous Kurram clashes, too, he warned the government about the “mysterious activities” but it didn’t pay attention, leading to the killing of over 400 innocent people in sectarian violence.

“Sectarian killings by unidentified people show that someone is paving the way for clashes between Shia and Sunni communities,” he said.

MPA of the ruling PTI Anwar Khan complained that several police officials were martyred and injured in the Upper Dir district early on August 14 when the nation was celebrating Independence Day in other parts of the country.

He said that along with the police, Dir’s residents were courageously fighting terrorists.

The lawmaker said several injured policemen were brought to Peshawar and admitted to the Lady Reading Hospital but they’re not treated properly despite shedding their blood for the sake of the country.

“One of the police constables lying on the hospital beds cried over pathetic treatment,” he said, flaying the LRH over improper care to visitors.

Mr Khan said that he couldn’t “share all information” on the matter in the house and would take up the issue with the health minister and senior party leaders.

Member of the opposition JUI-F Mukhdoomzada Aftab Khan accused the ruling PTI’s founder, Imran Khan, and former spy chief retired Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed of bringing 40,000 terrorists to the country back from Afghanistan in the name of a peace deal and freeing hardcore terrorists, who, he said, turned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into a “battlefield.”

Leader of the Opposition Dr Ibadullah came down hard on the PTI government for “not taking the KP Assembly seriously,” noting several ministers are absent from the house.

He also said it’s strange to see the departments not briefing ministers about the answers submitted to the questions of opposition lawmakers.

“Even a primary school is not run the way the ruling party is managing the affairs of this house,” he said.

The chair later put off the session until next Monday.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2025