As violence hampers governance, rulers and LEAs need to step up
People who were once resisting militants want their weapons back
Police officials inspect the site of a roadside bomb explosion in Peshawar on May 18, 2016. PHOTO: AFP
PESHAWAR:
Contrary to the claims of civilian rulers and custodians of law and order, violent acts – particularly target killings – are continuing unabated throughout Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
This has resulted in considerable unrest and insecurity among people of the province. Those opposing or denouncing terror on the political front are not the only ones at crosshairs with militant guns. Law-enforcement agencies are also being targeted by militants. The banned outfits responsible for these acts of violence take great pride in claiming responsibility.
Reports reveal that 19 people have fallen victim to targeted attacks in Peshawar alone, whereas 45 bomb explosions and attacks were recorded during this period.
No one’s safe
The highest number of target killings occurred in Swat with a police report putting this number at 35. Most of the victims have been political activists. Also, a large number of them were associated with peace committees which were established with the support of the government after the 2009 military action.
Those gunned down in the provincial capital in 2016 include eight policemen and three personnel each from the Frontier Constabulary and armed forces. Also, five people from the Shia community fell victim to violence.
A large number of others are survivors of grenade attacks by extortionists whose insatiable greed is impossible to satisfy at the best of times.
DI Khan is another district where a number of law-enforcers and professionals such as lawyers, doctors and academics have been murdered. There are also a series of targeted attacks being reported in other districts like Mardan, Swabi, Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Buner. One even took place in Abbottabad where a head constable was shot dead by unidentified people.
These alarming trends of target killing and extortion have long impacted sociopolitical scenario of the province.
Before the launch of Operation Zarb-e-Azb against militants in North Waziristan and Khyber-I and II in Tirah, around 500,000 influential families of Peshawar valley, comprising five main districts, headed towards Rawalpindi or Islamabad between June 2013 and July 2014.
However, successful military action saw this migration slow down as people were able to reside in those areas with safety, honour and dignity for a time.
In almost all districts of K-P, such as Swat, Buner, DI Khan, Dir and others, the process of disarming locals is truly in full swing. From 2008 till 2014, most parts of Malakand remained under curfew on the pretext of security threats, search operations and crackdowns.
Back to square one
It was stated there will be more threats to lives and properties. However, with the reemergence of target killings, it is all too clear that days and weeks of long curfews and the drive to disarm the public has played into militants’ hands. The situation is similar in large parts of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and regions from where more than 50% of the people migrated to other regions of the country for survival.
For some time now, elders from all over Swat, Buner, Dir, Shangla and other parts of Malakand have been demanding the return of their confiscated arms and ammunition. It is the time for the rulers and custodians of law and order to review their acts otherwise affected people will come onto the roads to fight for their right to survive.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2016.
Contrary to the claims of civilian rulers and custodians of law and order, violent acts – particularly target killings – are continuing unabated throughout Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
This has resulted in considerable unrest and insecurity among people of the province. Those opposing or denouncing terror on the political front are not the only ones at crosshairs with militant guns. Law-enforcement agencies are also being targeted by militants. The banned outfits responsible for these acts of violence take great pride in claiming responsibility.
Reports reveal that 19 people have fallen victim to targeted attacks in Peshawar alone, whereas 45 bomb explosions and attacks were recorded during this period.
No one’s safe
The highest number of target killings occurred in Swat with a police report putting this number at 35. Most of the victims have been political activists. Also, a large number of them were associated with peace committees which were established with the support of the government after the 2009 military action.
Those gunned down in the provincial capital in 2016 include eight policemen and three personnel each from the Frontier Constabulary and armed forces. Also, five people from the Shia community fell victim to violence.
A large number of others are survivors of grenade attacks by extortionists whose insatiable greed is impossible to satisfy at the best of times.
DI Khan is another district where a number of law-enforcers and professionals such as lawyers, doctors and academics have been murdered. There are also a series of targeted attacks being reported in other districts like Mardan, Swabi, Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Buner. One even took place in Abbottabad where a head constable was shot dead by unidentified people.
These alarming trends of target killing and extortion have long impacted sociopolitical scenario of the province.
Before the launch of Operation Zarb-e-Azb against militants in North Waziristan and Khyber-I and II in Tirah, around 500,000 influential families of Peshawar valley, comprising five main districts, headed towards Rawalpindi or Islamabad between June 2013 and July 2014.
However, successful military action saw this migration slow down as people were able to reside in those areas with safety, honour and dignity for a time.
In almost all districts of K-P, such as Swat, Buner, DI Khan, Dir and others, the process of disarming locals is truly in full swing. From 2008 till 2014, most parts of Malakand remained under curfew on the pretext of security threats, search operations and crackdowns.
Back to square one
It was stated there will be more threats to lives and properties. However, with the reemergence of target killings, it is all too clear that days and weeks of long curfews and the drive to disarm the public has played into militants’ hands. The situation is similar in large parts of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and regions from where more than 50% of the people migrated to other regions of the country for survival.
For some time now, elders from all over Swat, Buner, Dir, Shangla and other parts of Malakand have been demanding the return of their confiscated arms and ammunition. It is the time for the rulers and custodians of law and order to review their acts otherwise affected people will come onto the roads to fight for their right to survive.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2016.