PHOTO: APP
This has confirmed the presence of militants who either survived or succeeded in escaping ongoing operations in North Waziristan Agency and Khyber Agency.
However, these terror acts are taking place at a time when the custodians of law and order — who are responsible for the safety of the people of K-P — are at loggerheads with each other.
Fuel to the fire
Since the 2013 general elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairperson Imran Khan has been protesting against leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, that is governing in the Centre as well as in Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan. The revelations made in the Panama leaks added fuel to the fire. The scandal gave Imran another opportunity to protest against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his aides.
The prime minister has retaliated by exploiting the drawbacks of the PTI government in K-P. However, the tug of war is likely to halt with Ramazan around the corner.
The wise one
Nevertheless, the political battle between Nawaz and Imran has benefitted the chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who has gained an opportunity to side with one of the parties and fill the fissures that broke open for his party with its defeat in the local government elections in 2015 and by-polls on some seats of the Parliament soon after the 2013 general elections.
Recently, Rehman had invited Nawaz to DI Khan, centre of the former’s politics.
Although Rehman had succeeded in getting two of his aides into the federal government, the move did not do any good to Rehman in terms of restoring his image and influence of JUI-F in the three southern districts of K-P – Bannu, DI Khan and Lakki Marwat.
However, Nawaz’s announcement, in DI Khan — regarding the implementation of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects in DI Khan — is likely to help Rehman regain his influence in the district.
Trail of suffering
Amid these tensions, PTI is struggling in K-P for one reason or the other. For what seems to be the first time in history, civil officers are holding a sit-on and are demanding the removal of K-P chief secretary. Protests regarding the issue have become a routine. In addition, the IGP is also engaged in a power game with chief and home secretaries to gain maximum powers in the police act.
Against the backdrop of this tussle, the black sheep in the police force have received an opportunity to exploit the issue. Complaints involving bribes, brutalities and misuse of office against policemen are on the rise.
However, at the end of the day, the deteriorating law and order situation has forced the public to suffer as target killings have surged in the province and business activities have been impeded by unrest. Attacks against police personnel have also spiked in recent times.
Although there are claims of militant networks being destabilised, terrorists are nevertheless confirming their presence. The recent incident in which three terrorists accidentally died in a premature explosion on the outskirts of Peshawar is a case in point.
K-P is grappling with crises over the last four decades. The role of politicians has diminished so much that they cannot tackle major events any more.
Politicians, whether from the treasury or opposition benches, must keep in mind the needs of the country, before they land into power games. It is time that politics of hostilities comes to an end otherwise no one but the politicians will find themselves in a disadvantaged position.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 23rd, 2016.
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