KP minister rejects federal ministers’ allegations after Bannu incident

PESHAWAR: Following the terror incident in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) minister Taimur Khan Jhagra rejected the allegations of federal government and said that national security is federal government’s responsibility but not the province, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Taimur Khan Jhagra, while addressing a press conference alongside KP ministers today, said the peace situation deteriorated after the coalition parties came into power.

KP Finance and Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra expressed sorrow over the ‘false statements’ of the federal government regarding the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the Bannu terror incident.

He said that the federal ministers raised three objections including peace situation is far more bad in KP as compared to other provinces, ineligibility of the police force and its counter-terrorism department (CTD) and non-payment of salaries to the police personnel by the provincial government.

He slammed Sanaullah by saying that he is unaware of the situation even about his own constituency.

READ: BANNU INCIDENT: PM SHEHBAZ VOWS TO RESTRUCTURE KP CTD

Jhagra said that the peace situation was worst in KP before the PTI government and even lawmakers could not visit the province without getting security clearance in 2013.

The minister said that the coalition government failed to cope with the economic and security challenges to the country.

وفاقی حکومت کےپی کی مدد کرنا چاہتی ہے؟

جون کے بعد سے انہوں نے ہر درخواست، ہر خط کو ٹھکرا دیا، جس میں خبردار کیاگیاتھاکہ ملک کو ایسے وقت میں مالیاتی منتقلیوں کی روک تھام کی قیمت چکانی پڑے گی جب سیکیورٹی کی صورتحال غیرمستحکم ہو۔ اسکا ذمہ دار کون؟pic.twitter.com/A1gEOuo4jW https://t.co/lcydyrVFeH

— Taimur Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) December 21, 2022

He further said that the first stage of security wall is borders whose security stays with the federal government. Jhagra said that the Centre was not disbursing required funds for the security arrangements in the current scenario.

He reminded that he wrote three letters to the former finance minister Miftah Ismail but his final letter was made controversial by the Centre.

Special Assistant to the KP CM Barrister Saif said that he briefed media regarding the Bannu incident. He said law and order situation is province’s responsibility while the national security’s responsibility is with the federal government. He said that Pakistan Army led the counter-terrorism operation in Bannu and relevant details will be provided by the institutions.

To a question, Barrister Saif said that they are ready to dissolve KP Assembly after Punjab Assembly on the directives of the PTI chief Imran Khan. He also reiterated demand for organising general elections.

Defence minister blames KP govt

Yesterday, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said after Bannu terror incident that it was a failure of the provincial government there and the failure of nine years,” adding that the entire provincial government was a hostage of Imran Khan in Zaman Park.

He credited the Pakistan army for the operation, adding that the provincial government had no role in it.

ISPR’s briefing

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that security forces have killed all 25 militants who had seized the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in Bannu.

Speaking to ARY News late Tuesday night, DG ISPR Major Gen Ahmed Sharif said that three security forces officials were martyred while 10 soldiers, including three officers, were injured in the Bannu CTD operation.

He noted that 33 terrorists were under investigation in the CTD compound on December 18.

It is pertinent to mention here that dozens of terrorists, who stormed an office of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Bannu city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Sunday, sought safe exit to Afghanistan via airway.