By Fazal Amin Shinwari
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Sunday ruled out talks with elements challenging the state’s writ, saying intelligence-based operations were imperative to restore peace and eliminate terrorism from the province.
Speaking at a press briefing after a meeting on the law and order situation, the governor said the government would not hold talks with those who rejected the Constitution and the law and resorted to armed violence.
“Those who take up arms will be responded to in the same language,” he said, reiterating that a zero-tolerance policy was being pursued against terrorism.
Mr Kundi said the provincial government had sought Rs160 billion for security-related requirements, adding that the federal government had supported the demand.
He described restoring law and order as the government’s top priority and pledged full support to security forces and police in their efforts to combat terrorism.
He said the police would be provided with modern weapons and ammunition, while their salaries and compensation packages for the families of personnel martyred in the line of duty would also be improved.
The governor said successful initiatives undertaken by Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan would be adopted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through improved inter-provincial coordination.
He observed that development initiatives could not yield meaningful results without ensuring the security of people’s lives and property. Restoring public confidence and improving police-public relations, he added, were essential to tackling the security challenges.
The meeting was informed that security forces had killed 3,788 terrorists during the past three years. It was also told that 255 security personnel, 302 police personnel and 304 civilians had been martyred by September this year.
The meeting reviewed several measures aimed at strengthening the province’s counterterrorism capacity and improving policing.
It was decided to extend the operational jurisdiction of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) to all 34 districts of the province and establish District Nerve Centres to strengthen intelligence coordination.
A Safe City Authority would also be established in 10 districts, while artificial intelligence-based tools would be introduced to counter misinformation and fabricated narratives on social media.
The meeting further decided to establish Smart Front Desks at 406 police stations in major cities to improve public service delivery.
Dispute Resolution Councils and Tribal Liaison Committees would also be established in all districts to facilitate the resolution of local disputes and strengthen engagement with communities.
It was also decided to hold monthly open courts and regular jirgas to improve public access to authorities and promote community participation in maintaining peace and resolving disputes.
