Worsening law and order worries KP lawmakers

PESHAWAR: Worsening law and order in the province, particularly in the Malakand division and merged districts echoed in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday as an adjournment motion seeking a debate on the issue was admitted unanimously.

Through the joint adjournment motion of Inayatullah Khan, Sirajuddin and Humaira Khatoon of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), the movers drew the attention of the House toward the recent incidents of terrorism including the attack on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Liaqat Ali in Lower Dir, kidnapping of a DSP in Swat and terrorism incidents in the erstwhile Fata.

Inayatullah said the presence of militants in Malakand division had created fear and unrest among the people. He said the discussion was needed so that the steps the government had taken for the maintenance of law and order could be known.

Minister for Labour and Culture Shaukat Yousafzai did not oppose the motion but said time was needed for the preparation of a reply from the government. Through a call attention notice, Salahuddin of the Awami National Party raised the issue of the dilapidated condition of the road on both sides of the Warsak canal and the dumping of solid waste and sewerage water into the canal.

He said the road from Syphon on Kohat Road up to Badaber was in a dilapidated condition and stone-crushing plants were causing pollution. He added people were throwing waste into the canal but the departments concerned did not bother to take action.

In his reply, Minister for Irrigation Arshad Ayub said the Peshawar High Court (PHC) had instructed the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) to construct drainage and sanitation lines along both sides of the Warsak gravity canal. He said work on the project was taking place.

He said the road would be reconstructed once the drainage and sanitation lines project was completed. The minister admitted that people were throwing garbage into the canal. He said an awareness campaign should be run to educate the people not to pollute the water.

He said the PDA and Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar would be asked to place big dustbins alongside the canal for collecting solid waste. Earlier, the House was told that the government was planning to dispose of the outdated and dysfunctional machinery and vehicles through a transparent auction.

Replying to a question of Inayatullah Khan, Minister for Communications and Works Riaz Khan said the Administration Department was working on a plan to auction the assets through a transparent mummer.

He said the departments had been directed to provide division-wise details of the machinery and vehicles, which were not been utilised.