DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information and Public Relations Shafi Jan on Thursday visited Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Peshawar, to inquire after police personnel injured in Wednesday’s terrorist attack on a police check post in Hangu.
He assured the injured officers and their families of the provincial government’s full support and pledged that those responsible for the attack would be dealt with firmly.
Accompanied by MPA and Parliamentary Secretary for Forests Sher Ali Afridi, the minister met the injured policemen, wished them a speedy recovery and expressed solidarity with their families. He also directed the hospital administration to provide the highest standard of medical care without any negligence or delay.
During the visit, hospital officials briefed the minister on the condition of the injured personnel and the treatment being provided.
Speaking to journalists, Shafi Jan strongly condemned the terrorist attack, describing it as a cowardly act that could not weaken the resolve of the provincial government, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police or the people of the province. He vowed that all elements seeking to disrupt peace and law and order would be dealt with an iron hand.
The minister said 10 police personnel were martyred and 32 others injured in the Hangu attack. He added that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and the chief minister’s aide on home affairs, Tariq Saeed Marwat, had also visited Hangu to meet the bereaved families and express solidarity with them.
Paying tribute to the sacrifices of the police force, Shafi Jan said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police personnel continued to fight terrorism with exemplary courage and professionalism. He noted that the province had remained the country’s frontline in the war against terrorism and that its people and police had rendered unparalleled sacrifices over the years.
The minister said the provincial government was enhancing the operational capacity of the police by providing modern weapons, advanced equipment and other essential resources. He added that the police budget had been increased to Rs191 billion to enable the force to respond more effectively to evolving security challenges. Shafi Jan said terrorism had inflicted severe economic losses on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by adversely affecting business and investment.
He observed that the security situation in the merged districts remained challenging, while the law and order situation in Balochistan was also a matter of serious concern.
Calling for a united national response, the minister said decisions on counterterrorism should not be made behind closed doors. He urged the federal government to take all provinces and stakeholders into confidence, review the National Action Plan and formulate a renewed and more effective counterterrorism strategy.
He also recalled that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly had convened a Peace Jirga attended by representatives of all political parties and key stakeholders. The jirga unanimously adopted a 13-point declaration, including a Provincial Action Plan aimed at strengthening peace and security across the province.
