Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah on Thursday announced the provincial government has approved Rs. 2 billion for the rehabilitation of people impacted by the ongoing military operation against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Bajaur.
Addressing an Independence Day flag-hoisting ceremony at the Civil Secretariat, he stressed the operation was an intelligence-based, targeted campaign, not a large-scale military offensive. The operation, he said, aimed to clear the area of terrorist elements and restore peace.
According to Shah, security forces are clearing houses along roads in the affected areas, adding displaced residents would soon be able to return to their homes. “Wherever government action is taken against terrorists, some local people have to temporarily relocate for their own safety,” he said. However, he added, the government is taking all possible measures to ensure their protection and provide assistance.
To a question, he said the local administration would soon meet with a local Jirga to discuss ways to restore normalcy. “The terrorists who have come to the merged districts are here for a senseless war. Wherever they operate, trade, education, and all normal activities come to a halt. Their job is to attack, and the job of the police and security forces is to protect,” he said.
Shah regretted that the prevailing situation was the result of actions of a neighboring country but noted that the provincial government and security agencies were determined to achieve lasting peace.