Poverty, injustice causes of militancy: Col Umar

LANDIKOTAL: Praising the security forces’ decisive role in peace restoration in Pakistan, Commandant Khyber Rifles Colonel Umar Farooq on Wednesday said that poverty and injustice were the two major causes of militancy.

Briefing a delegation of the Tribal Union of Journalists, Khyber Agency chapter, over security situation, Col Umar Farooq said that they conducted military operations in Khyber Agency, killing and arresting hundreds of militants. He said they were closely watching the border with Afghanistan to block movement of suspicious people.

Regarding the National Acton Plan, Col Farooq said that they have installed modern equipment including data checking devices and closed circuit television cameras to minimise security threats from the Afghan side of the border.  He said the paramilitary forces officials in Khyber Agency have been directed to cooperate with the local residents and promote good relation between the forces and local residents.

To a question, the commandant Khyber Rifles said those who carried out attacks on Army Public School, Bacha Khan University and other public places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had entered Pakistan via Torkham border.

The official asked local residents and tribal journalists to cooperate with the security forces and law-enforcement agencies so that they could maintain peace in the region.  He announced that education and health facilities would be provided to local journalists in all army hospitals and schools.

Col Farooq said that with the financial and technical support of Inspector General Frontier Corps (IGFC), they were launching a six-month project of repairing and renovation of historical places in Khyber Agency, starting from December 25.

TUJ Khyber Agency president Qazi Fazlullah thanked the newly appointed Khyber Rifles commandant and said that tribal journalists would help the government promote peace and work for development in the agency.