K-P commission to probe Bannu violence

In a bid to quell unrest following a shooting during a peace rally heading to the Bannu Cantonment, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has formed a commission to get to the bottom of the incident, which left one person dead and many others wounded.

However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and the six-party opposition alliance, Tehreek Tahafuz Aaeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), have both called for a transparent judicial inquiry into the tragic event.

On Saturday, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Advisor to the K-P Chief Minister for Information and Public Relations, announced that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was personally overseeing the situation in Bannu and is in direct contact with local officials.

Saif revealed that the chief minister has ordered the formation of a commission to thoroughly investigate the violence that erupted during the peace rally. He added that the commission’s findings would be made public and that those responsible would face justice.

The advisor assured that the law-and-order situation in Bannu was under control, thanks to swift action by the provincial government to ease tensions. A jirga, composed of district administration officials and local political and social leaders, was convened at the direction of the K-P chief minister.

Saif praised the jirga’s efforts in restoring calm to the area.

Furthermore, a committee consisting of district administration, social, and political representatives is being established to develop strategies aimed at preventing future incidents and ensuring long-term peace. Saif stressed that all measures would be taken in consultation with the local community.

He said the unfortunate incident occurred at a location previously marked by a suicide blast in Bannu Cantonment a few days ago. Given the high-security alert in such sensitive areas, the incident is under heightened scrutiny.

Saif noted that both a soldier and civilians were casualties of the previous attack.

He added that the sensitive nature of the area contributed to the recent shooting and urged the public to exercise caution in light of increased terrorism incidents.

He condemned attempts by those seeking to destabilise the region and underscored that the commission’s report would pinpoint the culprits behind the shooting.

He also cautioned against jumping to conclusions or spreading rumours before the commission has delivered its findings.