THIS refers to your editorial ‘Resurgent militancy’ (June 1). Militancy has not increased, at least in Waziristan. The comparative statistics with previous years’ show that incidents of terrorism have decreased.

Terrorist incidents in 2020 have decreased by 50 per cent, terrorism financing has decreased by 75pc, while extortion, targeted killings and kidnapping for ransom, have decreased by 75pc, 80pc and 100pc, respectively, compared to 2019.

The attacks on police and other law enforcement agencies have decreased by 70pc and 50pc compared to 2019.

Moreover, for the first time in the history of Waziristan an honour killing case has been registered by the state (SHO) recently. All the accused have been arrested and hopefully will be brought to justice.

In fact, the incident quoted in the editorial did happen, but its investigation is on, and the accused have been spotted. However, it is experienced through empirical evidence that personal enmity and terrorism are interlinked, at least in tribal areas.

Besides, these tribal areas have been merged into mainland and police have done a good job for establishing the writ of law which is evident from the fact that 134 terrorists have been arrested, while 52 killed in encounters/operations by the police.

Seventy-eight cases have been traced so far, while 10 of the terrorists convicted from the courts in 2020. Levies and Khasadars have been absorbed and their training plans have been devised. From the middle of this month online training will be started. Orders for acquiring the equipment and infrastructure have been placed, while infrastructural development is underway.

Moreover, the merger of these areas will have an everlasting impact on the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas itself, rest of country and the region on the whole.

Dr Sanaullah Abbasi

IG, Police, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Peshawar

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2020