Security situation: KP ministers slam federal govt for ‘callous remarks’

PESHAWAR: Reacting to the statements of federal ministers on security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, provincial ministers on Wednesday said that people of KP had rendered matchless sacrifices in the war on terrorism but comparing the prevailing condition of law and order with other provinces was beyond understanding.

Addressing a press conference, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ministers Taimur Salim Jhagra, Kamran Bangash, Babar Salim Swati, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said that security satiation in the province should be viewed in the context of dangers linked with the Durand Line – the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“Issuing irresponsible statements on security situation by federal ministers have caused disappointment and discouragement among the people, who have lost their near and dear ones and home and hearth,” the provincial ministers remarked, alleging that security situation also became volatile along with economic meltdown after the ‘imported’ government was imposed.

Taimur Salim Jhagra said that he had clearly mentioned regarding the vulnerable security situation in the province in the letter sent to the former minister Miftah Ismail but the federal government wanted to hide its failure behind the political statements.

The federal government, he added, cannot exempt itself from the responsibilities of providing security to people by releasing irresponsible political statements. “Our people, police and other law enforcing agencies have made a history by rendering huge sacrifices during war on terrorism in the yester years and the same is still going on unabated,” the minister elaborated.

He said the KP had borne the brunt of war more than 90 percent as compared to other parts of the country but our sacrifices were still not being acknowledged and rewarded. He lashed out at Federal Minister Khwaja Asif for viewing KP and Islamabad two different parts of the same country and meting out a step-motherly attitude towards the province and its people.