K-P CM Gandapur urges consultation before imposing decisions on province
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Wednesday said that innocent and unarmed civilians were martyred in the Bajaur incident and asserted that decisions should not be imposed on the province without consultation.
An emergency meeting on the law and order situation was held under the chairmanship of the chief minister. The meeting was attended by members of the PTI parliamentary party, the chief secretary, the inspector general of police, the additional chief secretary, and other relevant officials.
During the meeting, the law and order situation was reviewed in light of the Bajaur incident, and the chief minister was briefed by relevant authorities on the latest developments.
Following the meeting, CM Gandapur issued a video statement, stating that the provincial government stands by the decisions made during the recent All Parties Conference on peace and security. He said the government is preparing for the implementation of those decisions.
Calling the Bajaur incident a tragic event, Gandapur said that military operations against terrorism are causing civilian casualties, which negatively impact public trust.
'These kinds of incidents are eroding public trust in the army, and without public confidence, we cannot win the war against terrorism,' he said.
The chief minister said that the security personnel martyred in the war on terror are 'our children too' and are as dear as the civilians of the province. He said flawed policies are preventing proper recognition of these sacrifices and called for a revision of such policies.
Read: Gandapur opens K-P's first food laboratory
He said a schedule for holding jirgas in the merged districts had been issued. Local-level jirgas will be held over the next ten days, followed by a grand jirga. Consultations with local elders, elected representatives, and stakeholders will help formulate a future course of action and narrative.
Gandapur said that the recommendations from the jirgas would be presented before security officials for a possible review of current policy. He reiterated that the fight against terrorism must be based on public trust.
He also expressed reservations regarding the use of 'Action in Aid of Civil Power' and said an assembly session has been called from August 1 to debate this issue, among others, and determine whether it is serving its intended purpose.
'Our clear message is that we stand with the people and will go to every length for them,' the chief minister said. 'This is our province, our land. Wrong decisions should not be imposed on us without consultation.'
He assured the public that Imran Khan's party, its workers, and the provincial government stand with them. 'We will not rest until their problems are resolved,' he added.
CM Gandapur said he had instructed all deputy commissioners not to impose curfew or Section 144 without prior approval from the Home Department.
Earlier, a meeting chaired by the chief minister was held on the law and order situation in Bajaur. Condolences and sympathies were expressed for the families of civilians and security personnel martyred in the incident.
The chief minister announced Rs10 million in compensation for the families of each martyred civilian and security official, and Rs2.5 million each for the injured civilians and security personnel.
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