Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Caretaker Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Provincial Apex Committee which decided to ban all kinds of protest demos outside the provincial assembly.
It thoroughly reviewed the law and order situation in the province in the wake of the May 9 violent incidents.
The meeting, attended by senior civil and military officials, took crucial decisions to prevent such incidents in the future.
During the meeting, a detailed review of the May 9 violent protests was carried out and the participants expressed deep sorrow over the scale of destruction in these protests.
The committee expressed regret over the loss of life and property caused by the arsonists and emphasized that such incidents could not be tolerated under any circumstances.
The individuals involved in the violence would face severe punishment, it resolved.
The meeting also included briefings by the authorities concerned on various important issues related to law and order in the province.
Steps taken so far to arrest those involved in the violent protests were discussed, and it was revealed that all individuals responsible for arson and vandalism had been identified.
To ensure the prevention of untoward incidents in future, the committee made several important decisions. Protests were banned at the Assembly Chowk in Peshawar, and the authorities concerned were directed to provide an alternative suitable place for demonstrations.
Short-term, mid-term, and long-term measures were planned to strengthen the anti-riot squad of the police, including allocating funds for the purchase of modern gadgets.
The committee also decided to prepare a Rapid Response Contingency Plan to address such incidents swiftly. Special police forces equipped with modern equipment would be assigned the security of red zones, and important government buildings and installations outside the zones.
Furthermore, control rooms would be established at the provincial and divisional levels to effectively respond to untoward incidents.
The CM expressed his regret over the incidents of vandalism and arson during the recent protests and said actions were being taken against the responsible individuals.
He emphasized that maintaining law and order and protecting public and private property was the government’s prime responsibility.
Azam Khan also praised the role of the police, security forces, and civil administration for their commendable efforts during the protests.
He reiterated that those who had damaged property during demonstrations would be held accountable, emphasizing that the government would uphold its writ.
Meeting without governor
On Wednesday, the Apex Committee met without governor. Since 2008, every meeting of the Apex Committee is chaired by the governor and in some cases even the prime minister chaired it.
In the previous PTI government, then chief minister Mahmood Khan tried to chair meeting of the committee which led to a tussle with the governor Shah Farman and in the end Shah Farman chaired the meeting after thorough consultations with the PTI leadership.
In recent months, there has been a prevailing perception that Chief Minister Azam Khan is a weak leader, partly due to the overactive involvement of Governor Haji Ghulam Ali in state affairs.
However, this perception has been effectively challenged by Chief Minister Khan through his decisive actions during the Apex Committee meeting held on Wednesday.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 25th, 2023.
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