Year 2016: K-P terror incidents at their lowest ebb: data

Kidnapping, extortion cases also registered a decline

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa witnessed the lowest number of terrorism-related incidents last year when compared with figures for the past six years, Additional IG of the Counter-Terrorim Department (CTD) Salahuddin Khan said while briefing IGP Nasir Khan Durrani on Monday.

Over the past year, 238 incidents of terrorism took place against 610 and 297 events recorded in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Similarly, incidents of kidnapping for ransom and extortion also showed considerable decrease against figures for the past three years:  just 100 cases of extortion took place against 344 of such incidents in 2014 and 178 in 2015.



Similarly, 22 kidnappings for ransom were reported last year against 110 in 2014 and 53 in 2015.

At least 181 persons were killed in 238 terrorism-related incidents last year. These incidents included attacks on the Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, NADRA office and civil court in Mardan and the attack on an FC convoy in Peshawar. Positive results of the Operation Zarb-e-Azb were also highlighted during the briefing and officials declared that the operation had a remarkable effect on the province’s overall security situation.

The IGP was also briefed about challenges faced by the province’s police in the wake of the Zarb-e-Azb: Detaining militants who fled to settled areas after the operation and also to block their infiltration.

In this connection, the KP Police responded in an effective manner and arrested 1,195 ‘hardcore militants’. As many as 121 proclaimed offenders, carrying head money, were also arrested.

According to police data, as many as 1,192 cases of terrorism were traced and challaned.

The additional IGP of the CTD highlighted the fact that if militants who escaped from FATA had not been arrested, they would have wreaked havoc on the security situation in the province.

In order to stop their infiltration in settled areas, police undertook extensive search operations.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police also took action against property owners who rented out without informing police. As many as 22,506 cases were registered in this connection.

The IGP appreciated the role of the K-P police in general and CTD in particular for taking effective steps to neutralise militants in settled areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2017.