QWP leader warns of protest if govt ignores law and order issue

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) provincial Chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao on Wednesday expressed concern over the worsening law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and attributed it to the indifference of the provincial government.

Speaking at a press conference at Watan Kor, he said that his party would launch a protest against the provincial government if it failed to improve law and order. He also asked the federal government to collaborate with the provincial government over this issue.

Sikandar Sherpao cited a recent Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) report, which revealed that 636 acts of subversion had taken place across the province in 2024 so far. He stated that these attacks had claimed the lives of 257 people, including personnel.

“On average, 57 attacks took place every month, amounting to two attacks per day,” he said. He pointed out that the number of attacks in 2024 matched the figures from 2009.

He also noted that 2023 had been similarly dire as 631 acts of subversion were carried out.

Sikandar Sherpao criticized the provincial government for failing to fulfill its responsibilities concerning law and order. He argued that poor governance combined with deteriorating security had compounded the challenges faced by the province. He singled out several divisions, including Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Malakand, as being particularly affected by lawlessness. He said the PTI had been ruling Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2013 but failed to secure the rights of the province.

The QWP leader lauded the governor for convening a multi-party conference on law and order but lamented the lack of a similar effort from the provincial government. “The provincial government should have held a special meeting to address this issue,” he said.

Sikandar Sherpao highlighted the increasing prevalence of extortion, alleging that people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were receiving threatening phone calls. He also criticized the provincial government for allegedly paying extortion money to kidnappers, which he claimed had created unrest among the populace.

Commenting on a statement by Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, Advisor to Chief Minister on Information, Sikandar Sherpao said, “Peace cannot be restored through lip service; it requires hard work and practical steps.”

He questioned the government’s ability to protect ordinary citizens when even judges and government officers were not safe.

“Lawlessness is not confined to the southern belt or Kurram district but has engulfed the entire province, including the Malakand Division,” he added.

The QWP leader said that nearly 50 percent of the province’s population had been left at the mercy of terrorists. “In many areas, the government writ has shrunk and the terrorists operate freely after sunset,” he said.

Sikandar Sherpao also criticized the disparity in compensation payments, saying that while families of PTI workers received Rs10 million, ordinary citizens were given meagre amounts.

He highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Kurram, where road closures had led to shortages of food and medicine.