Rising terror incidents panic people in Bannu region

BANNU: The rising incidents of terrorism and deteriorating law and order situation have caused fear and panic among the people in the Bannu region and the adjoining

districts.

The residents have started feeling a sense of insecurity owing to rising incidents of terrorism, target killing and attacks on police and other law enforcing agencies. Routine life has come to a standstill and businesses are affected due to market closure as people prefer to stay at homes before dusk in the three districts of Bannu division.

The number of worshippers in mosques have decreased while businesses have been badly affected after major attacks in Lakki Marwat and Wana in South Waziristan as well as the hostage incident in the office of the Counter-Terrorism Department in Bannu.

In Lakki Marwat, the situation is so volatile that militants have sent letters to the personnel of police to quit their jobs or else they would face the music. Officials in various departments, particularly the police, have started to approach the influential people and Central Police Office in Peshawar to transfer them out of Bannu

division because of the return of militancy and terrorism in the region.

The situation remained tense when the terrorists overpowered security guards and took them hostage in the Counter-Te rorism Department in Bannu.

The terrorists, who had been detained for interrogation, wanted safe air passage to Afghanistan in return for the release of the staff of

the CTD.

However, the Pakistan Army’s Special Service Group (SSG) launched an operation and all the hostages were freed. The militants were not part of one group, rather they belonged to different banned outfits. The arrested 33 terrorists were inside the compound and one of them overpowered a man stationed at the centre. He then snatched his weapon and later the terrorists took over the centre.

However, all the terrorists were killed and the compound was cleared of them.

The law and order situation in KP has gone south over the last few weeks as an increase has been noticed in threats and attacks on security forces as well as

high-profile political personalities.

A dozen districts, including Peshawar, Mardan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Kohat, Bannu, and Nowshera came under attack in November.

It may be mentioned that over 120 policemen were martyred and over 125 others were wounded in different kinds of attacks on the force in KP during the current year. The attacks have accelerated across the province for the last few weeks.