PESHAWAR: Members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday unanimously proposed the holding of a multiparty conference (MPC) in the house to thoroughly discuss the delicate law and order situation in the province and find a way for lasting peace.

During a session chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati here, the lawmakers said that only joint efforts could help resolve the province’s issues, especially the law and order crisis.

“The province belongs to all political parties, so this house should consider inviting heads of all political parties, think tanks, incumbent and former chief ministers, governors and legal experts to seek their suggestions in order to devise an effective strategy for lasting peace in the province,” Mr Swati observed.

Member of the opposition PPP, Ahmad Karim Kundi, said that military dictators violated the Constitution, but more damage to the democratic system was caused by differences among political parties.

Say in PA that all political parties should sit together for the sake of province

He said that it was time to collectively make decisions by engaging the entire political leadership, and if that happened, the opposition would offer support.

“Why don’t we use this august forum [Assembly]? People are looking to us for the resolution of their problems,” he said.

Lawmaker of the opposition ANP Arbab Usman, said his party supported the proposed MPC and would continue rendering sacrifices for peace.

MPA Dr Amjad Ali of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf said he supported PPP’s suggestions.

He said that the powers-that-be “enjoyed” whenever differences emerged among political parties.

The lawmaker said that military dictators had ruled the country for 36 years, so questions arose about their performance. He said that all political parties should sit together for the sake of the province after setting aside their differences.

Dr Ali said that the decision to withdraw the KP government’s appeal against the verdict on the Action (In Aid of Civil Power) Ordinance, 2019, from the Supreme Court would be taken in the first meeting of the new provincial cabinet.

He also alleged that intelligence agencies issued threats for highlighting the Katlang drone strike, which killed innocent children, women and adults.

“We will make an example of you is how the security agencies threatened me through the provincial PTI president, regional president and my nephew,” he claimed.

The treasury lawmaker also said he received dozens of notices from the National Accountability Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency.

He said that he was treated like a convicted criminal at NAB offices as the anti-graft body wanted to victimise him politically, besides assassinating his character.

“A NAB officer questioned me about nine properties in Islamabad and DHA, but I told him to find them, auction them and distribute proceeds to orphans in Swat district,“ he said.

Speaker Swati said that it was decided in a meeting with the NAB chairman that the bureau would set up a sub-office at the speaker’s office and that any allegation against elected persons would be dealt with through a focal person.

“If there is anything wrong, it will be discussed at the speaker’s chamber, and if the allegations are not proved, the matter will be returned,” he said.

Mr Swati said in case there’s evidence, things would be investigated at the speaker’s office.’

He said that he wanted institutions to act in line with their oath. He directed the assembly’s secretariat to call the director of the NAB‘s KP chapter for a meeting at 12 noon today (Tuesday).

The speaker observed that everyone could be discussed in the house, no matter which institutions they belonged to, but it didn’t mean that, in that case, secret agencies should start victimising the relevant lawmakers.

MPA Hameedur Rehman said 22 military operations were conducted, and after every operation, the state claimed to have eliminated terrorism.

He said that despite the installation of 1,200 surveillance cameras, people could easily cross into Pakistan from Afghanistan, but terrorists moved freely.

The lawmakers also said that everyone had the right to meet and hold a discussion with the party head.

Adnan Khan of the opposition JUI-F said that if a chief minister could be nominated in a tweet, why the nomination of cabinet members couldn’t happen that way. He also said that if a resignation could be tendered by PTI members on X, why names of new cabinet members couldn’t be shared on X. The lawmaker called for early cabinet formation.

Speaker Swati congratulated the Sikh minority on the birthday of their religious leader, Guru Nanak.

The House also passed a resolution, urging tribal elders and other stakeholders to continue negotiations locally and with Afghanistan for the lasting regional peace. The resolution, moved by Mr Rehman, noted that the accord signed between the authorities and the Bajaur Peace Jirga was violated.

It added that it was decided that the civilian population would not be targeted and the areas cleared in a limited time, but the security operation was still underway.

Also, the house unanimously passed a resolution recommending to the federal government to support the freedom struggle of Kashmiris in the India-held region at all available forums. The resolution was moved by MPA Mohammad Naseem Khan.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2025