PESHAWAR: As the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief was hurriedly summoned to the provincial assembly for an in-camera briefing on the law and order situation, member of the ruling PTI from Bajaur tribal district Anwar Zaib Khan claimed on the floor of the house that terrorists from Afghanistan had captured 15 security checkposts deep inside his area.

On a point of order during a session chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, the lawmaker insisted that terrorists had made significant incursions into his PK-20 constituency.

He said that security forces had asked people in the Banda Malasaid area, which fell in the constituency, to vacate houses so that a military operation could be launched to recapture those posts.

“Terrorists entered the area last Sunday in broad daylight and seized checkpoints before hoisting the flags of the Emirate-i-Islami Afghanistan and shouting slogans in its favour,” he said, adding that videos of the raid, recorded by terrorists, were circulating on social media.

In PA session, Anwar Zaib raises question about infiltration through fenced border

The MPA also said that the Banda Malasaid checkposts, previously manned by security forces or jointly with local police, were located in his constituency away from the Afghan border.

He claimed that those posts were captured by around 400 militants, and questioned the effectiveness of the border fencing.

“I’m just wondering how terrorists crossed the fenced border in such a large number,” he said.

Mr Khan claimed that residents called him early on Tuesday for permission to leave their houses, fearing imminent military operation in the area, so he advised them to shift their families to safety.

“They have no option but to relocate,” he said.

The lawmaker also claimed that terrorists had dug up bunkers in the seized area to fortify their position.

He complained about recurring displacement of people from the tribal region due to military operations and said that residents could “no longer afford” relocation.

Mr Khan insisted that military operations were repeatedly carried out in the region but even then, terrorists couldn’t be eliminated.

He said that people knew who were behind the resurgence of terrorists, especially in the wake of the escape of a former spokesperson for the banned terrorist outfit, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Ihsanullah Ihsan from custody.

Speaker Swati also voiced concern about Mr Khan’s assertion, saying it has raised serious questions about how terrorists from Afghanistan made it to the tribal region and seized checkposts.

Participating in the debate on the state of security in the province, MPA Aurangzaib Khan claimed that the situation was fast worsening, especially in merged tribal districts.

He said that after attending a security briefing by the police chief, he thought that things would never get better in the country.

The lawmaker said people in several districts of the province demanded peace and not development projects.

Opposition MPA Ahmad Karim Kundi noted that most people in his constituency feared for their lives, so they begged for peace.

He also urged the chair to set up a truth and reconciliation commission to probe who brought terrorists back and were aiding them.

Mr Kundi also called for amendments to the assembly’s rules of business for the formation of a standing committee on security and said all security operations should be carried out only after their approval by that panel.

The speaker agreed and said the rules of business were already being reviewed.

“We will amend rules for the formation of the proposed standing committee on security,” he declared before putting off the sitting until 2pm today (Wednesday).

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2025