PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa held a meeting of the KP Apex Committee on Thursday and discussed the 16 demands of the Bannu Peace Committee, including the procedure for forming a commission to probe violence broke out during a large rally demanding peace in the area.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, was attended by Peshawar Corps Commander, Inspector General of Police, Chief Secretary, and Adviser to the KP Chief Minister on Information, Muhammad Ali Saif.
According to a statement released after the meeting, the provincial government will also initiate its own inquiry to identify those responsible for the Bannu incident.
The KP Apex Committee emphasized that while peaceful protest is a constitutional right, it must be conducted within the bounds of the law and code of conduct. The military leadership clarified that no operations are currently being carried out in the province. Chief Minister Gandapur directed the police to take action against any armed non-state actors.
The statement also highlighted that the people of Pakistan, including the army, police, and other defense agencies, have made significant efforts to combat terrorism. However, the morale of officers and troops has been impacted by unjust criticism of government institutions during this period.
Following the meeting, Provincial Minister Pakhtun Yar confirmed that Chief Minister Gandapur had agreed to the 16-point demands of the Jirga.
The rally, which turned into a sit-in, was organized last Friday in response to a series of attacks on security forces, government officials, and anti-polio vaccination teams in Bannu.
It is pertinent to mention here that on July 15, terrorists attacked a military cantonment in the city. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported that 10 soldiers were martyred in the attack, while all the terrorists involved were killed by security forces during the subsequent operation.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur will visit to Bannu on Friday (tomorrow) to meet the participants of the sit-in and brief the public on the Apex Committee’s decisions.
