KP CM concerned over attacks on police

PESHAWAR: Expressing concern over attacks on police, KP Caretaker Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan announced Tuesday that he would soon take up the law and order and financial issues of the province with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

He said this while chairing a meeting to review the overall law and order situation, economic conditions and financial issues of the province. Chief Secretary Shehzad Bangash, Inspector General of Police Moazzam Jah Ansari and other relevant officials attended the meeting, said a handout.

Azam Khan said he had decided to take up the financial issues and matters related to the law and order situation of the province with the prime minister and would meet him in the next couple of days in this regard.

He termed the current law and order situation and financial issues of the province a cause of concern and added that the caretaker government will make every effort to get the cooperation of the federal government to have them resolved.

The caretaker chief minister termed the prevailing law and order situation in the province, especially the increasing attacks on police as a matter of grave concern, and said that the caretaker setup will pay special attention to the law & order situation.

“All available resources would be utilized to improve the situation to the desired level,” he added. Azam Khan said the matter of strengthening of Police Department, especially the Counter Terrorism Department, would be taken up with the federal government.

It was decided to review the existing mechanism of deployment of police guards with former public representatives and others. The quarters concerned were directed to come up with proposals to this effect to be presented to the caretaker cabinet for approval.

More than 4000 police personnel are deployed as security guards with various individuals including former public representatives and retired bureaucrats. Earlier, the participants were briefed about the overall law and order situation and initiatives taken so far by the Police Department to maintain law and order and the future course of action to deal with the situation.

It was informed that during the year 2022, a total of 494 terrorist incidents had been reported across the province. As many as 119 police personnel were martyred and 112 injured in terrorist attacks during the last year.