PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Saturday expressed sympathy with the families of those killed in the attack on the Kohat Police Lines and announced that he would soon write to the president, prime minister, army chief, governor and chief minister, as well as heads of political parties to draw their attention to the deteriorating law and order situation in the province.
Mr Sherpao told a news conference here that the federal and provincial governments lacked a clear strategy to counter terrorism, while terrorists had evolved their tactics to carry out acts of subversion.
Accompanied by QWP provincial chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao, former senator Haji Ghufran and other senior party office-bearers, he stressed the need to use scientific methods to analyse the pattern of terrorist attacks and develop an effective counterterrorism strategy.
“Law-enforcement agencies should analyse the pattern of attacks to counter terrorism,” he said, urging the government to move beyond issuing statements and merely seeking reports after every incident, as such measures serve little purpose.
Insists both federal, KP govts indifferent to alarming security situation
Expressing deep concern over the worsening security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the QWP leader claimed that terrorist attacks had increased by 65 per cent during the current year compared to last year.
“More than 600 terror incidents have taken place in KP this year, which translates into roughly two attacks a day,” he said.
Mr Sherpao said around 200 police personnel had so far lost their lives in terrorist attacks this year.
He criticised the federal and provincial governments for what he described as indifference towards the alarming security situation and said both lacked an effective strategy to contain terrorism.
The QWP chairman also criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led provincial government for being preoccupied with long marches and mobilising party workers for street protests.
“The PTI government is concerned about the release of its jailed leader, while the issues facing the province have been placed on the back burner,” he said.
Mr Sherpao said the federal government had enhanced Pakistan’s standing internationally by playing the role of a mediator in international affairs but it had failed to give adequate attention to the country’s internal security situation.
He, however, said that maintaining law and order was primarily the responsibility of the provincial government, so it should make the issue its top priority to restore public confidence.
The QWP chief said the rise in crime and the lack of the rule of law had compounded the problems confronting the province.
He urged all stakeholders, including political parties, to develop a consensus and formulate a unified strategy to combat terrorism.
Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2026
