The confusion over the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s dubious policies towards terrorism is breeding uncertainty amongst the people, especially law enforcement personnel, who are facing increasing acts of targeted killings.
Though violent acts, including suicide attacks and bomb blasts, were much more rampant in June as compared to other months, the targeted killings carried out in July so far have broken all previous records of violence in the province.
According to the data, around 27 people, mostly personnel of police force, have been killed in Peshawar and several other cities and towns of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Among them, eight were killed in a suicide attack at Dawaba area of Hangu, while the remaining 19 were targeted in scattered areas.
Footage of all these targeted killings, particularly attacks on personnel and officers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is being circulated and distributed by militants. “Purposes of such videos are to create harassment amongst the personnel of police, which is combating terrorism acts in the province,” said an activist of Peshawar Aman Tehreek.
He said similar were the motives behind targeted killing of policemen in Peshawar and its surrounding areas.
Besides two elected MPAs, two high-ranking officers of police, DSP Amanullah Khan and Hayatabad SHO Meera Jan, were among the 78 people killed as a result of violent acts in June. The victims also included two volunteers engaged in anti-polio campaign. But in July, beside serving policemen, two former officers of the Intelligence Bureau were shot dead in Peshawar. Former sub inspector Mohammad Mujahid was targeted on Dalazak Road on July 8 while former IB assistant director Mohammad Arif and another relative were shot dead at Qissakhwani Bazaar on July 13. Two policemen were killed in Swabi and sub-inspector Gharibullah serving as additional SHO in police station Khan Razziq (Kabuli) was shot dead by motorcyclists during Ramadan.
Some insiders in the police force said almost all personnel and officers were unhappy with policies of both federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments over continuous targeted attacks. So far not a single minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government or any other representative of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf has visited the site or condemned violent acts.
Insiders in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat have confirmed that Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has directed not to mention the word “condemnation” in his official statements issued after violent acts. Such statements must be confined to “CM aggrieved over losses to precious human life and extends sympathies to affected families”.
Similarly, no one from the PTI turns out for Namaz-e-Janaza of slain police officers and personnel offered in Police Lines. However, Quami Watan Party leader and Senior Minister Sikandar Sherpao not only attends such funerals, but also visits houses of slain policemen.
Beside target killing of policemen, polio volunteers and ex-officials of secret agencies, people from Shia community are also under attacks. In recent weeks more than two dozen people from the Shia community have been killed.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai, like the chief minister, is also reluctant to condemn or denounce violent acts.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Yousafzai conceded that the deteriorating law and order and violence trends were serious issues before the government.
He said terrorism was a reaction to US presence in Afghanistan and drone attacks.