PESHAWAR: Caretaker Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk on Wednesday called for establishing an institutional structure in the areas previously under the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

“The federal government was working in close coordination with the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to facilitate residents of the area and ensure a smooth transition,” he said.

Chairing a meeting on law and order in KP, the prime minister appreciated the considerable improvement in the law and order situation in the province since 2009. He lauded the sacrifices rendered by the people of KP, the security personnel and officials of law enforcing agencies for restoring peace in the province.

The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the security arrangements made for the general elections in KP. He said that facilitating free, fair and peaceful elections was the joint responsibility of the federal and provincial governments.

The meeting held at Governor House in Peshawar was attended by KP Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, KP Chief Minister retired Justice Dost Muhammad Khan, the chief secretary, IGP Muhammad Tahir, the provincial election commissioner and senior officers of the federal and provincial governments.

IGP Tahir gave a detailed briefing about the prevailing law and order situation, including an update on crimes against persons and property, arrest of proclaimed offenders, recovery of weapons and targets achieved under the National Action Plan.

The meeting was informed that 1,306 officials of the KP Police sacrificed their lives in the line of duty since 2004. They were also briefed about the security arrangements made by the provincial government for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects.

The IGP also informed them about the requirements for policing, in view of the changed dynamics of the province, after the Fata merger.

He said that apart from the KP police, Frontier Constabulary, Levies, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir police would also be deployed for ensuring security during the upcoming general elections in the province. The prime minister also held separate meetings with the governor and chief minister at the Governor House.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2018