KP CM vows to invest in police to fight terrorism, restore peace

KARAK: Vowing to invest in police to enable the force to combat terrorism and bring stability to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi on Sunday said that restoring peace to the province was his government’s first priority.

Addressing a gathering at Takht-e-Nusrati here, he said that 70 bulletproof vehicles would be provided to police and added that steps would be taken for the capacity building of police.

He said that the government would spare no effort to strengthen the police force by providing the latest equipment to help restore peace to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The chief minister recently blamed the resurgence of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the federal government for its “flawed policy”.

Afridi resolved to train the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and Special Branch on modern lines. He regretted that the federal government has adopted a step-motherly attitude towards Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and added the bulletproof vehicles had not been provided to the province despite paying the federal government for them.

“I will spare no effort to bring peace to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said, adding that the provincial government had ordered 70 bulletproof vehicles out of which KP had so far received 40.

He said that being a middle-class political worker, propaganda was launched against him when the PTI founder designated him as the chief executive of the province. He said that he was not accepted by them as he did not belong to a political dynasty like the Bhuttos, Sharifs or Zardaris.

The chief minister said his second priority was good governance and the development of the province and pledged that development packages would be provided to all regions of the province.

He added that for the purpose a comprehensive planning would be made with the consultation of the parliamentarians. Afridi announced to celebrate the foundation day of Insaf Students Federation. He resolved that the protest would be staged as per the directions of PTI founder Imran Khan. He announced to transform the District Headquarters Hospital Karak to the status of full-fledged hospital and pledged to complete all ongoing uplift projects in due time.

The chief minister also announced the upgradation of Banda Daud Shah College and launching of a campus of Khushal Khan Khattak University Karak in the college. He also approved the Girls Degree College Latambar. MNA Shahid Khattak and MPAs Khursheed Khattak and Sajjad Barakwal also addressed the gathering.

The chief minister has embarked upon visits to various parts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to mobilise party workers in a bid to make efforts for the release of incarcerated party head Imran Khan.