Difference of opinion: CM, IGP look in opposite directions on security

This was brought to fore through series of clarifications on a letter sent by the CM to the federal interior ministry

PESHAWAR:

An implicit difference of opinion has surfaced between Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and IGP Nasir Durrani over ensuring security in the region.

This was brought to the fore through a series of clarifications on a letter sent by the CM to the federal interior ministry on February 23. In his letter, made public on Monday after a teenage suicide bomber killed 17 people at a court complex in Shabqadar, Khattak asked for the deployment of Rangers in Peshawar and Frontier Constabulary personnel along the border between settled areas of K-P and the tribal belt.

On Tuesday, Durrani clarified the request was not made “in the context of security”. However, Khattak also issued a clarification saying the security of K-P’s border with “war-torn Afghanistan” was impossible without help from Rangers.



Durrani was speaking during a visit to Lady Reading Hospital on Tuesday.



According to Durrani, the security situation in K-P was far better compared to previous years. Although he admitted the province was a “war theatre” where militants had been carrying out attacks, Durrani denied the CM had made the request because the K-P police had failed to protect the people.

“The chief minister will be in a better position to define the request,” he said.

Durrani said 99.5% of phone calls from extortionists were traced back to Afghanistan. As a result, these details were shared with Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal.



“We have been assured of cooperation and are likely to form a joint group with Afghan police to share details,” Durrani said.

On the other hand, Khattak said,“The geographical location of K-P was sensitive because it shares a long border with Afghanistan”.

According to a handout issued from the CM Secretariat on Tuesday, the federal government was not ready to repatriate FC troops in K-P despite repeated demands.

“[Unlike other provinces] the K-P government is welcoming Rangers and will open itself for accountability,” the handout quoted Khattak as saying.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2016.