KP CM calls for unity against terrorism

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Wednesday adopted a markedly conciliatory tone in a video message after a meeting of the Provincial Apex Committee.

He called for national unity in the fight against terrorism and affirmed full cooperation with the armed forces, a notable departure from his categorical rejection of military operations during a recent press conference.

The shift in rhetoric came after security forces launched a series of targeted operations in Bajaur on Tuesday, just four days after the chief minister declared that no operation would be allowed on provincial soil.

A three-day curfew was also imposed by the deputy commissioner in various parts of Bajaur, highlighting the disconnect between the provincial leadership’s earlier assertions and the evolving ground realities.

The Provincial Apex Committee meeting, chaired by the chief minister and held at the CM’s Secretariat, brought together top civilian and military leadership, including Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Omer Ahmad Bukhari, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed, and Adviser Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, among others.

Elected representatives from the merged tribal districts, including MNAs and MPAs from Bajaur, Khyber, and North Waziristan, also participated.

The forum reviewed the overall security situation, with a special focus on the merged districts.

Participants paid tribute to civilians and security personnel martyred in recent attacks and agreed that terrorism poses a malignant threat that must be uprooted through coordinated efforts.

The need for enhanced collaboration among the civil administration, police, security agencies, and local communities was unanimously emphasised.

In his subsequent public message, the chief minister underscored the importance of unity and warned against efforts to drive a wedge between the government, security forces, and the public.

“There is no crack, and none will be allowed,” he said, calling on citizens to support state institutions and expose those who protect or facilitate terrorists. “Without public cooperation, this war cannot be won,” he went on to add.

He refrained from repeating earlier allegations and affirmed that while no major operation was being planned that would lead to displacement, targeted action against confirmed militant hideouts is necessary. “A strategy is being developed to strike terrorists without harming innocent civilians,” he said.

The chief minister announced that divisional-level jirgas would commence from August 2, followed by a grand jirga aimed at formulating a comprehensive policy in consultation with elders, political representatives, and tribal stakeholders. He reaffirmed that traditional systems of conflict resolution must be empowered to bring lasting peace to the region. Addressing the tactics of militants, Gandapur warned that terrorists were hiding in civilian areas to provoke state retaliation and create resentment among the population.

“They want to make you fight your own security forces,” he cautioned, urging the public to identify and isolate such elements. He termed attacks on police and military personnel as violations of local, religious, and cultural values, calling for a unified response. The chief minister rejected “false narratives” circulating about the province’s mineral resources being handed over to outsiders, calling it part of a larger conspiracy to fuel distrust. “All provincial assets belong to the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and remain under provincial control,” he clarified.

Gandapur stated that the provincial government stood shoulder to shoulder with its people and the armed forces in the battle against terrorism. “If we fight this war together with sincerity, then, by the grace of Allah, not only will we win, we have already begun to win,” he said.