Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced that no military operation will be allowed in any part of the province. However, he urged police to target armed groups across the province. The federal government criticized the KP chief minister, accusing him of misleading the public about the Azm-i-Istehkam campaign against terrorism.
While addressing a public rally in Bannu on Friday, CM Gandapur emphasized, “From past experiences, we have learned that military operations were of no benefit and only increased the suffering of people by forcing them to vacate their homes.” He noted that KP residents had made significant sacrifices in the war on terror and faced displacements from their native areas. He added that people had reservations about their treatment.
The chief minister thanked the people of Bannu, especially the elders, for holding successful talks with the local administration after recent violence. A committee of elders formulated a charter of demands and forwarded it to the provincial government, which was discussed and accepted by the apex committee on Thursday. Gandapur vowed that any remaining demands would also be addressed.
He denied reports of any action against religious seminaries and expressed his affection for the students. Gandapur promised solar energy for all mosques in the seminaries, as well as education and employment opportunities for the students. However, he directed law enforcement agencies to act against armed groups throughout the province. “I salute the police and direct them to take action against armed groups across the province,” he said. He urged the public to identify malpractices and drug issues to eliminate these menaces completely.
Gandapur expressed his pain over derogatory remarks against the martyrs of the police and armed forces of Pakistan, noting that such comments also hurt the families of the martyrs. Bannu Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Nasir Bangash thanked the chief minister for visiting the district and announced an end to the week-long protest sit-in staged against the Azm-i-Istehkam operation and for establishing peace in the region.
KP minister Malik Pakhtoonyar, MNAs Maulana Syed Naseem Ali Shah and Sher Afzal Marwat, MPA Malik Adnan Khan Wazir, former senators Baz Mohammad Khan and Mohammad Ibrahim Khan, Maulana Abdul Ghaffar Quraishi, Dr. Abdul Rauf Quraishi, Taimur Baz Khan, and Ghulam Qeebaz spoke at the event. MNA Dawar Kundi and MPA Usman Bitanni were also present. The district administration and police deployed more than 2,400 policemen to ensure security and prevent any untoward incidents.
In response to the CM’s address in Bannu, the federal government criticized Gandapur for allegedly misleading the people of KP and making the Azm-i-Istehkam campaign controversial. Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Safron Amir Muqam, alongside Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, held a press conference accusing the CM of repeating what the military and civil leadership had already clarified about the Azm-i-Istehkam campaign. Muqam questioned why Gandapur was making the campaign controversial and misleading the public.
The federal minister pointed out that the apex committee and DG ISPR had already explained the campaign, yet Gandapur turned the peace jirga into a political gathering, with slogans in favor of PTI founder Imran Khan. Muqam reiterated that the initial plan was for the police to take action, avoiding army involvement unless necessary, as maintaining law and order is the responsibility of the police and civil security forces.
Tarar accused Gandapur of making “false claims” to appease the incarcerated PTI founder. He questioned Gandapur’s plan to eradicate terrorism, which had resurfaced during his tenure. Tarar demanded that Gandapur present a plan to root out terrorism. Additionally, Tarar criticized the KP CM over deforestation in Batagram and signing a deal with a bogus institution for AI training for KP’s youth, calling for an investigation into the contract’s basis.
