Bannu incident: PM Shehbaz vows to restructure KP CTD

ISLAMABAD Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be restructured as all facilities including modern weapons will be provided to CTD, ARY News reported,

In a statement, the prime minister said that the federal government would assist the provinces in improving the professional capacity of anti-terrorism force and departments.

The statement came from PM came after dozens of terrorists stormed an office of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Bannu city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Sunday.

Speaking to ARY News late on Tuesday night, DG ISPR Major Gen Ahmed Sharif said that security forces have killed all 25 militants who had seized the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in Bannu.

Three security forces officials were martyred while 10 soldiers, including three officers, were injured in the Bannu CTD operation, he said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the state would not surrender to any terrorist group or organization and vowed that militants would be dealt with according to the constitution and law.

Strongly condemning the activities of terrorists in Bannu and other areas, he said such attempts aimed at spreading chaos in Pakistan would be crushed.

PM Sharif termed terrorism a crucial issue of national security, which required collective thinking and plan of action. He said the entire nation would eradicate terrorism side by side with the country’s brave armed forces.

The prime minister paid tribute to the valour and determination of the forces fighting against terrorism. He prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and directed the authorities concerned to provide the best treatment facilities.

“We will not let the sacrifices of the martyrs go to waste” and mentioned in this regard the military operations of Rad-ul-Fasad and Zarb-e-Azb as significant measures to end terrorism,” said Shehbaz.

He assured the provinces to work along with provinces in fighting terrorism and vowed to fully implement the National Action Plan to end terrorism.