Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Wednesday issued a video statement maintaining that security forces are deployed in the province on the government’s request, adding there is zero tolerance for militants sheltering in populated areas.
Issued after the KP Apex Committee meeting, the statement appeared to contradict Gandapur’s earlier statement, in which he had opposed any fresh military operation in the province and alleged an ongoing offensive in Bajaur was launched without taking his government onboard.
A day earlier, the Bajaur administration imposed a three-day curfew in several parts of the district amidst an operation targeting militants present in the region. In a video message, Gandapur had said he would order all deputy commissioners to cease imposing curfews without explicit permission of the KP home department, adding civilians martyred in military offensives eroded trust between the people and the forces.
Emphasizing that the deployed forces should be treated as “guests” in accordance with Pashtun tradition, Gandapur’s new message said militants sheltered in residential areas and targeted security forces. Retaliation from forces, he said, caused “collateral damage” aimed at fostering distrust between the people and the armed forces. “This is why we need to expel them from our cities. We will not tolerate their presence in populated areas,” he added.
Stressing that militants would not be permitted to hide in residential areas, he vowed action against them and their abettors. He urged the public to support the operation against terrorism, praising the police and security forces for their role in eradicating terrorism.
The chief minister said the government would convene jirgas at the divisional level from Aug. 2, with all stakeholders coming together to alleviate people’s reservations and concerns. “Following these jirgas, there will be a grand jirga, where we will present our policy, a plan and future steps and discuss it with stakeholders and government officials,” he said, reiterating his opposition to any offensive that displaced civilians. However, he said, any presence of militants would prompt a forceful response. He claimed the prevailing strategy would prevent collateral damage.
“In order to avoid any damages while eliminating militancy, we will go with the action plan which will not cause any loss to life and property,” he claimed, blaming “enemy countries” for conspiring against Pakistan.
Apex Committee
A statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat after the Apex Committee meeting stressed on securing public trust to effectively counter militancy. The forum underscored the need for enhanced coordination among civil administration, police, security forces, and intelligence agencies to carry out decisive operations.
It said the participants had unanimously acknowledged that militancy had become a threat that could only be eliminated through concerted efforts of the government, the public, and state institutions. They declared militants a common enemy whose elimination was the desire of all stakeholders.
Despite Gandapur’s renewed support for “targeted” offensives, the PTI has condemned the Bajaur operation as a threat to peace. “This repetition of failed strategies while expecting different outcomes is the height of strategic insanity,” said spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram. “Such reckless actions will only deepen the alienation of an already traumatized and marginalized population, with catastrophic consequences for both this government and the nation’s stability,” he added.