Who let terrorists return, asks PM Shehbaz

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday raised serious concern over the resurfacing of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had failed to maintain security despite availability of special funds.

He said that the PTI was ruling the province for the last 10 years and was responsible to ensure the safety of lives of innocent people who suffered a new spate of terror incidents.

In his initial remarks at the meeting of the federal cabinet, the prime minister mentioned that Rs417 billion were provided to KP since the year 2010 under the National Finance Commission Award. The funding was supposed to be used for the capacity-building of KP Police and security forces, he said.

“Where this money was spent despite the establishment of National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD),” he questioned.

He said the nation wanted the ruling KP government to be held accountable for the rise of terrorism in the province. “Who regarded the terrorist as Jihadi and let them return,” he said, pointing out the lenient approach that led to the re-emergence of terrorism in the province. Shehbaz Sharif lauded the courage and resilience of the people of KP for bearing the brunt of terrorism.

He said several members of the political families in KP and also the former prime minister Benazir Bhutto lost their life in terrorist incidents. “These invaluable sacrifices cannot be forgotten,” he said, adding that it was painful that even minor children were among the dead in the recent suicide blast at a Peshawar mosque.

The prime minister warned that if urgent measures were not taken to control terrorism, it could spread to the rest of the country. He vowed to unitedly fight the scourge and ensure peace in the country.

He also put aside the routine agenda of the cabinet to solely discuss the issue of terrorism, saying that an in-camera session could be held for further deliberations.

He said the terrorists were defeated and peace was restored in the country after Raddul Fassad and Zarb-e-Azb operations but resurfacing of the terrorist elements is a matter of concern.

He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has remained the frontline province in this war and its sacrifices will always be remembered in history.

Meanwhile, the federal cabinet adopted a unanimous resolution condemning the suicide attack in a mosque of Peshawar Police Lines. Representing the people of the country, the cabinet expressed its condolence and sympathy with the bereaved families of martyrs.

The cabinet expressed its firm resolve that all forms of terrorism will be completely eradicated and the lives and property of the people will be protected.

It also pledged to restructure the KP Police and CTD, and said substantial steps will be taken to provide quality training and weapons to avoid such incidents in future.

The cabinet urged all political forces of the country to be united against terrorism and underscored that political divisions and grudges should be put aside and all political forces should be united in the interest of the country.

“All political forces should get united while putting aside differences to eliminate terrorism so that requirements of national defence, security, peace and stability of economy can be ensured,” the resolution said.

It was made clear that those who target Muslims in mosque do not deserve to be called Muslims and human beings. The cabinet noted that such acts are Haram in the light of Quran and Sunnah and collective opinion of eminent Islamic scholars.