Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan. PHOTO: PTI
“We want peace but if war is imposed on us we know how to defend our motherland,” he said.
He directed high level of preparedness to meet any untoward situation, setting up of control rooms at deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner offices and putting Rescue 1122 services and Provincial Disaster Management Authority on high alert.
He said that police volunteers, students, the whole nation and country are committed to defend the country. The whole society including all segments, parties and institutions were on the same page. The Indian government should not be under any fallacy.
Any misadventure against the motherland would trigger a matching response and the Indian authorities would get a dose of their own medicine. “We are at the highest level of preparedness and we would generate the kind of response to repulse any aggression,” the chief executive of the province said.
The entire Pashtun belt was in the state of war for the last few decades, he said pointing towards the series of conflicts starting from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 to present day war against terrorism and militancy. “Our desire for peace should not be attributed to be our weakness.
We know the level of devastation, the war brings along and we will force a total discomfiture to the enemy. We would snatch out the eyes of the enemy if they kept on casting an evil eye on our sovereignty,” he added.
Provincial ministers, advisor and special assistants, chief secretary and administrative secretaries attended.
The cabinet was briefed about the security and rescue related operational preparedness by different provincial departments and the law enforcing agencies. All institutions were at high alert; the forces were ready for an eventuality at the border area.
The finance department has already started implementing the CM’s directive for releasing resources.
All departments have prepared their plan including education and other social sectors on emergency basis.
CM Mahmood told the cabinet that the provincial government departments should stay alert and directed for the release of resources for the security and emergency nature expenditure adding that the law enforcing agencies have to have a prominent role in the internal security in such a situation therefore the relevant departments should enhance the level of coordination and liaison to foil the nefarious designs of the enemy.
Mahmood Khan expressed satisfaction over the enhanced level of preparedness adding that he was against any military escalation as this area had experienced a long war like situation and the people of this belt had offered tremendous sacrifices to win durable peace in the region adding that the government backed by the people has the capability to defeat any intrusion of the coward enemy. “We are ready for any eventuality” he said and appreciated the Pak Armed forces for defeating the inimical designs of the Indian Army.
He called upon the nation to close their ranks against the enemy.
They should keep monitoring the activities of suspicious people in their areas adding that fire brigade, water and other social sectors including the infrastructure and the sensitive installation should be taken care of.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2019.
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