• Tarar says PTI govt has ‘no right’ to investigate incident
• Opposition alliance seeks judicial probe; plans to hold rally on Friday
• Bannu sit-in demands accountability, action against ‘good’ and ‘bad’ Taliban for peace

ISLAMABAD / LAKKI MARWAT / PESHAWAR: As an opposition alliance at the Centre led by the PTI demanded a judicial commission to investigate the shooting which killed one person and injured almost two dozen at the Bannu peace rally, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government led by the party leader Ali Amin Gandapur on Saturday formed a committee to chalk up modalities for the commission it announced to probe the firing at the protest.

On the other hand, the federal government said the KP government should have no right to investigate the violence at the peace rally because the ruling party’s ‘own supporters’ were involved in the incident.

Chief Minister’s aide Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said the committee comprising the peace march organisers, police, and the district administration officials would be formed to evolve a consensus on the formation of the proposed commission.

“Initially, we will form a committee. They will devise a plan and later a commission would be formed in consultation with the same committee members to probe the incident,” Barrister Saif told Dawn. He said, “Whatever the commission will do will be done in consultation with these committee members.”

In an earlier statement issued by his office, the CM’s adviser said that the commission would identify those responsible for the Bannu incident. Barrister Saif said CM Gandapur was “monitoring” the situation in Bannu and was in close contact with the district administration.

The statement also said that the chief minister had formed a jirga comprising members from the district administration, and political and local elite. “The situation was controlled and peace restored after the jirga was formed,” the statement quoted the chief minister’s aide as saying.

The adviser said the committee was formed to devise a strategy for durable peace in the area and put a stop to such incidents in future, adding that the report of the commission would also be made public. “The unfortunate incident occurred at a sensitive place [in Bannu Cantonment] where a suicide attack had taken place,” he said, adding that security always remained on high alert at sensitive places.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar took exception to the announcement of the KP government and alleged the people from the PTI were involved in the protest; therefore, the government should not have the right to investigate the incident. He said their people were involved in the protest so how could they do justice, according to a report in Jang newspaper.

The minister claimed that the situation was coming back to normalcy but some political forces allegedly wanted to take advantage of the situation and paint it in a different colour.

The information minister said a terrorism incident on July 15 took place in Bannu Cantonment and traders wanted to organise a peace rally against terrorism but some political forces tried to spoil the march.

While talking to reporters after the hearing of the corruption reference in Adiala jail on Saturday, PTI founder Imran Khan also condemned the violence in Bannu and demanded a judicial probe.

Bannu sit-in

On Saturday, people staged a sit-in at Maulana Abdul Sattar Chowk in Bannu city and demanded across-the-board accountability as well as action against ‘good and bad Taliban’ for the restoration of peace in the region. They also sought medical facilities for the persons wounded in Friday’s firing.

The sit-in was attended by people from the neighbouring Lakki Marwat district and other areas to show solidarity with the people of Bannu and their demand for peace in the district.

An elder from Lakki Marwat and JUI-F leader Maulana Asghar Ali told Dawn that his party delegation visited the sit-in to express solidarity with the elders and people of Bannu district. “Our party supports the demand of residents for peace in the area,” he said.

PTI demands judicial probe

The Tehreek Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan, a group of opposition parties led by the PTI, demanded a judicial commission to probe the Bannu violence. In a meeting chaired by Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai, the participants also demanded the release of former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi.

The opposition leaders said the commission should be headed by a serving judge so that it could work without any external pressure and interference.

They also demanded the removal of the KP police chief and the chief secretary for their failure to ensure peace in the province.

They also demanded the government withdraw the increase in electricity and gas bills and curb inflation.

The alliance also announced nationwide protests on Friday (July 26) following the afternoon prayers for the acceptance of their demands, particularly the release of political prisoners, including Mr Khan.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2024