PTI unable to appease distraught traders

Businessmen are left fearing for their safety and express a desire to move to peaceful parts of the country

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairperson Imran Khan and Chief Minister Pervez Khattak remain out of step with ground realities as their claims belie the current law and order situation in the province, especially with the rise in extortion and kidnapping for ransom cases. Industrialists and businessmen are left fearing for their safety and express a desire to move to Rawalpindi-Islamabad or other peaceful parts of the country.

A few days ago, K-P’s acting governor Asad Qaiser chaired a meeting at the Governor House in Peshawar. Many stakeholders and government officials such as Khattak attended the meeting. IGP Nasir Khan Durrani gave a 40-minute-long briefing about the law and order situation in the province, which was nothing more than a nicely painted picture of the force’s performance.

The meeting was arranged to counter growing anger and unrest amongst trade and business circles – a state of dissatisfaction growing since the assassination of their leader Haji Haleem Jan in broad daylight.



Jan remained a revered personality for over two decades, fondly known as ‘Baba-e-Traders.’ He was shot dead in his shop in a busy Qissa Khwani Bazaar on February 9, 2016.

The assailant managed to escape from the bazaar, which is cordoned off from all sides and guarded by uniformed policemen from dawn to dusk. Since Jan’s assassination, police officials have been claiming they are close to catching the culprit. But it seems otherwise and the bigwigs of trade have picked up on this. Expressing disappointment, they have asked Durrani to confess his force’s failure and let Pakistan Rangers take over Peshawar.

Do numbers talk?

In an attempt to appease complaints, the K-P police say targeted killings will decline this year. Pointing to their statistics, they say only 34 persons were targeted and killed in January whereas 43 died in the same period in 2015. Police workers claim majority of people harassed by extortionists were reluctant to register cases, which deters them from arresting the culprits.

Cops are also making attempts to camouflage their failure by saying criminals use SIM cards issued in Afghanistan, or that those responsible for high crime rates come from adjacent tribal regions. No one can deny military actions like Zarb-e-Azb, Khyber-I and Khyber-II have helped reduce the militants’ foothold. But it does not mean militants have been eradicated – Bacha Khan University in Charsadda attack, those against security forces in Mohmand and against civilians in Datta Khel, North Waziristan Agency continue to occur. These incidents pose a big question mark over performance of custodians of law.

Imran and Khattak do not need to paint a flawed but glorious picture of peace and safety in K-P, that too in rare meetings. They must realise their responsibilities are measured by actions.

A large number of wealthy families have already left the province. It is time for top cops and bureaucrats to step out of their well-furnished offices and bungalows and smell the blood.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd,  2016.