PESHAWAR: Lawmakers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution, strongly condemning the killing of noted cleric and former JUI-F MPA Maulana Mohammad Idrees in a gun attack and demanded immediate arrest and early punishment of culprits and solid steps to prevent such attacks in the future.

The resolution was tabled by Adnan Khan of the opposition JUI-F during the session chaired by Deputy Speaker Suriyya Bibi.

“I don’t see any government in the province and in the Centre as well. This is not a government of public representatives. Instead, the military establishment is running matters in the country as well as our province,” Mr Khan said.

The JUI-F lawmaker said that targeted killings had become frequent but those behind them had yet to bebrought to justice.

Demand steps to prevent such incidents; question ‘failure’ of intelligence agencies to prevent attack

“Armed men come and cordon off a police compound [in Bannu] before [firing] continues all night but no one rescues them. This is how poor the law and order situation is, raising questions about the performance of security forces,” he said.

The lawmaker complained that the police post, which came under terrorist attack in Bannu, was located on a five-minute-drive from Bannu city and not on the border.

He wondered why the intelligence agencies failed to prevent the attack as it always required time to plan such targeted killings.

“The entire house is on the same page on the issue of terrorism, so it is time to take practical steps to address it instead of making speeches and having lengthy discussions,” he said.

Treasury MPA Sajjad Barakwal said that Pakhtun people, their culture and whosoever spoke for rights was “under threat”.

He said that PTM workers Noorullah Tareen and Hanif Pashteen went missing after attending a peace jirga organised by the provincial government in the KP Assembly but nobody spoke for them, He said that if anybody was at fault, they should be engaged.

The lawmaker said whosoever brought militants to the country in the 80s and called them assets should admit their act was misplaced.

Member of the opposition PML-N Sardar Shah Jahan Yousaf informed the house that the security forces had been striving for maintaining the law and order, so targeting militant hideouts was part of that task.

He said that the entire nation was proud of the security forces for guarding the country’s borders and would never forget their sacrifices.

Mr Yousaf said that powers had been devolved and it was the responsibility of the provincial government to maintain law and order but the PTI government was reluctant to sit with the federal government to discuss and address the issue.

Minister for housing Dr Amjad Ali praised Maulana Idrees for “always speaking about peace”.

“This is unfortunate for the province that anyone, who talks peace, is targeted,” he said.

Dr Ali said that there was no political government in the Centre as the ruling PML-N lacked powers with the establishment calling the shots.

“We must target the enemy of political parties and their interference,” he said.

Member of the opposition JUI-F Ijaz Khan said that it was the responsibility of the government to find the killers of Maulana Idrees.

He warned that he would not let the assembly proceed if the government failed to arrest the culprits until Thursday.

Member of the opposition ANP Mohammad Nisar complained that despite the prime minister’s announcement, a judicial commission to probe the cleric’s killing had yet to be formed.

He said that the provincial government wanted peace but was helpless, while the federal government didn’t consider KP part of the federation.

“Powers-that-be don’t consider themselves answerable to anyone. We want them to refrain from political engineering and pressuring institutions. They should follow the Constitution,” he said.

The lawmaker called for a “grand national dialogue” for peace in the region.

Member of the opposition PML-N Sobia Shahid questioned the loyalty of treasury members, causing uproar in the house. The chair expunged her remarks.

The house passed the KP Establishment of Special Courts Overseas Pakistanis Property Bill, 2026, which was moved by law minister Aftab Alam Afridi.

The minister also tabled the KP Ehsas Rerhi Baan Street Vendors Livelihood Protection Bill, 2026, which the chair referred to the relevant house committee for deliberation. She said the bill should return within 15 days. The sitting was later adjourned until next Monday.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2026