No let-up in violence: K-P cabinet mulls fresh security measures

Provincial government wants to be in the loop on the Taliban peace process.

PESHAWAR:

A day after the suicide attack on Khyber-Pakhtunkwa’s law minister, the embattled government drew up several proposals to control the grave law and order situation in the province. The proposals were put forward at an emergency cabinet meeting on Thursday.

The K-P government announced some measures to improve security of the province, but at the same time, demanded the federal government keep them informed of the progress in peace talks with the Taliban.

According to an official handout, the cabinet also called on the federal government to work towards putting an end to drone strikes. The Taliban ought to cease suicide attacks on humanitarian grounds, they stipulated. The cabinet members said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s suggestion about opening a Taliban office in the country was made to pave the way for face-to-face dialogue without the interference of a third force.



For security measures, the K-P government announced the formation of a separate anti-terrorism force led by a separate deputy inspector general (DIG). “The DIG of the Anti-Terrorism Force would be responsible for operations, intelligence and information gathering, and investigation, which would be separate from the [work of the] provincial police,” said K-P Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak, who presided over the meeting.

He also stated that the number of police personnel would be increased in the province and they would be provided with sophisticated weapons and sniffer dogs. “The federal government should return all Frontier Constabulary platoons deployed outside the province keeping in view the deteriorating law and order situation in K-P, so that they could be deployed in sensitive areas,” the cabinet members asked the federal government.

Meanwhile, ministers, advisers and MPAs would now be asked to inform their local police stations before they travel anywhere, a senior government official told The Express Tribune.

The government would monitor the activities of all Afghan refugees living in various districts of the province and if anyone is found to be involved in terrorism activities, they will be immediately deported, it was also decided in the meeting.

The cabinet members prayed for the deceased law minister and PTI member Israrullah Gandapur and announced a three-day mourning period.

The security of senior government officials has become a serious concern of the provincial government Gandapur was killed, along with five others, in a suicide bombing at his hujra on Wednesday in Kulachi, Dera Ismail Khan.

Investigation under way

Initial investigations into Wednesday’s attack have revealed that the suicide bomber who targeted Gandapur donned a local Kulachi turban and dress and had a local Pashto accent.

According to a high-ranking police officer, the bomber was nearly 20 years old. “He reached Israr without any difficulty and greeted him. The minister was talking to him when he blew himself up,” he told The Express Tribune on Friday. Gandapur was meeting visitors at his hujra on the first day of Eidul Azha.

The police officer said that a committee comprising senior officers had been formed to probe the incident. “The investigating team visited the bomb site. They will also visit those who were injured.”

Funeral

Gandapur was laid to rest on Thursday morning and his funeral prayers were offered in the Kulachi cricket ground amid tight security.

A relatively unknown banned outfit, Ansarul Mujahideen, claimed responsibility for the attack. The organisation’s spokesperson, Abu Baseer, said the minister was targeted to avenge the death of his colleagues who were killed by security forces during the Dera Ismail Khan jailbreak.

Gandapur was elected from D I Khan’s PK-67 constituency as an independent candidate during the 2013 general elections but later joined PTI, the ruling party in K-P. He had escaped two IED blasts in the past.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2013.