Terrorism, extortion cloud the local economy in K-P

PESHAWAR:

For a struggling economy striving to compete in the global financial market, both local and foreign investment is the stepping stone to generating greater revenue however, when the country’s failing law and order situation emerges to haunt even the watchdogs of public safety, no business entity or aid organization, would dare mustering the courage to set up a regional office only to have it blown away into pieces in a terrorist explosion.

In recent times, increasing incidents of terrorism and extortion have started endangering public safety in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) where in the backdrop of a lack of resources for the police forces, kidnappings for ransom, attacks on bank vehicles, abductions of staff of government and private institutions, ambush on vehicles of international aid organizations, and the target killings of police officials have become commonplace.

According to data received by the Express Tribune, 337 officers and civilians were martyred while 616 others were injured in terrorist attacks in K-P during 2024. During the same year, 98 cases of extortion were also reported. Interestingly, the worst law and order situation was prevalent in Dera Ismail Khan, which also happens to be the home region of the Chief Minister and the Governor.

“No one is willing to invest here due to the risk of extortion and terrorism. In recent times, 10 out of 12 textile mills in K-P have been closed, due to extortion while about a hundred manufacturers have shifted their business abroad to countries like the USA, UK, Vietnam, Malaysia, UAE and Turkey. Similarly, around 800 small units in the province have also been closed due to the law and order situation,” informed President of K-P Chamber of Commerce, Fawad Ishaq.

Talking to the Express Tribune on the deteriorating security situation in K-P, Dr Khurram Iqbal, an expert on security issues and a Ph.D. on extremism and terrorism from Australia, highlighted the fact that ever since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, the law and order situation in Pakistan had started deteriorating. “It was hoped that the Afghan interim government would not allow the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) to use Afghan soil to plot against Pakistan, but this did not happen. The TTP is being strengthened with both weapons and manpower, which has a direct impact on the border and tribal regions of Pakistan, where target killing and extremism are growing,” assessed Dr Iqbal.

According to the information received by the Express Tribune from police sources within the southern districts, police personnel in Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and the suburbs of North Waziristan and South Waziristan have been limited to police stations only, since many feared going out after noon, while others refrained from wearing their uniform due to the risk of target killing. In fact, in the month of September alone, five police officers were killed in a single day in Lakki Marwat, while a National Bank manager along with his staff team traveling from North Waziristan were killed by being thrown out from their car. Similarly, the sub-inspector of the Intelligence Bureau in Bannu was also shot dead by terrorists. In September itself, Dr Muhammad Yousuf from Shaukat Khanum was kidnapped from the Sarband area of Peshawar for a ransom of Rs50 million before he was finally recovered by CTD and Police from the Khyber tribal district after ten days. Two suspects, including an Afghan kidnapper, were also arrested.

Commenting on the matter, Inspector General of Police, Akhtar Hayat Khan Gandapur, assured that the Police and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) were carrying out operations in the tribal and southern districts to eliminate large terrorist networks. “In order to strengthen the CTD and police network in the southern districts, 1,757 new posts were approved, while 36 bulletproof and 13 armored vehicles alongside 100 modern motorcycles were arranged for policing in these sensitive areas,” maintained Gandapur