Rawalpindi, Pakistan: Minority Forum Pakistan organized a seminar titled Role of Political Leadership in Protecting Minority Rights, focusing on commitments outlined in political party manifestos.
The event featured distinguished speakers, including Peter Jacob, Dr. A.H. Nayyar, Tayyaba Rafiq, Jayaa Jaggi, and Samuel Bashir. Representatives from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), including Malik Ibrar Ahmed (MNA), Nauman Chohan (representative of Isphanyar Bhandara, MNA), and Kamran Bhatti (President, Minority Wing), presented their party’s policies on minority rights.
Peter Jacob highlighted the intrinsic connection between human rights and democracy, emphasizing that political parties must focus on addressing policy-level human rights issues and fulfilling their election manifesto commitments. Tayyaba Rafiq analyzed the promises made in party manifestos, drawing attention to the pre-election campaign demands of the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ).
Dr. A.H. Nayyar, an educationist, stressed that Pakistan’s creation was rooted in the protection of minority rights. However, he noted that regressive policies have fostered hatred based on identity. He called for a thorough review of religious content in compulsory subjects, as such material can alienate children of different beliefs. He also underscored the historical importance of documents such as Quaid-e-Azam’s speech of August 11, 1947, advocating their inclusion in the constitution and curriculum.
Nauman Chohan acknowledged the widespread discrimination faced by minorities, from schools to the parliament. However, he expressed hope, highlighting that Mr. Isphanyar Bhandara is actively working to address these issues. He pledged that further efforts would be made to tackle such challenges.
Jaya Jagi, a human rights activist, urged the youth to step out of their comfort zones and join the struggle for rights, stressing that their involvement is essential for shaping a better future.
Samuel Bashir, called for comprehensive governmental attention to the challenges faced by minority communities. He urged the implementation of the Jilani judgment to uphold religious freedom and belief.
Malik Ibrar Ahmed (MNA) expressed deep concern about issues such as child marriages and the establishment of the National Commission for Minorities Rights (NCMR). He assured participants that the PMLN leadership is actively working to address these issues and pledged his personal commitment to resolving them.
At the conclusion of the seminar, participants called on decision-makers to amend the constitution, fulfill their pledges, establish empowered committees, and enact protective legislation to address minority issues effectively.
Islamabad, Pakistan: Pakistan is facing many challenges, the biggest challenge of which is the negative propaganda of the PTI and its foreign lobbies, including Zionists and Indians.
This propaganda aims to create despair among the people of Pakistan, to spread venom against Pakistan and the Pakistani government and other state institutions, and to divide society by weakening the army that holds Pakistan together. When the public’s trust is lost, there will be unrest and chaos in the country like in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and African countries.
It is necessary to talk about the false propaganda campaign that PTI has launched using social media regarding the events that took place from November 24 to 26, so that it can be decided what is true and what is false. The final protest call given by the founder of PTI completely failed. PTI leader and Chief Minister KPK province Ali Amin Gandapur and PTI founder Bushra Bibi’s wife fled the protest, leaving the workers in trouble. When they suspected that the entire blame for this failure would fall on them, PTI social media started false and negative propaganda on social media, turning the tide of the situation.
PTI, through its social media campaign, made allegations that the state and security forces used unnecessary force to shoot workers directly, which also resulted in deaths. If we look at their propaganda, there is no unified statement among PTI leaders in this regard. Some say eight deaths, some say twenty, and some go as high as 278 deaths.
This propaganda of deaths has also been proven false by the explanatory statements of two major hospitals in Islamabad, PIMS and Polyclinic. PTI has circulated a list online in which it has been claimed that it is presenting the names and details of those injured and killed during the protests. However, there has been no confirmation of this so far. Even during the PTI meeting, when it was discussed that a list of those killed should be provided, no one had any list; everyone was saving their lives by referring to social media posts.
On this negative and unsubstantiated propaganda of PTI, official sources presented the facts correctly so that the public could know what the truth was. In this regard, the detailed statement issued by the Ministry of Interior clearly states the facts. Everyone knows that in the final protest call, a large number of PTI miscreants stormed Islamabad, including illegally residing Afghan miscreants who were caught and videos of their confessions have also come to light.
The anarchist party (PTI) also used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to give its propaganda the appearance of reality and this technology has been used to distort the facts during the Russia-Ukraine war, so who will believe it? With the help of this technology, the streets were shown bathed in blood, and false and fabricated bloody pictures went viral, to the point that the fugitive Salman Ahmed even shared pictures of Palestinian martyrs as the bodies of PTI miscreants.
PTI is trying to gain public sympathy through false propaganda and fake news. The purpose of these fake videos and pictures is to influence the emotions of the public and sway them in their favor so that political objectives can be achieved. This is a dangerous method that aims to mislead the public and play with their emotions.
In this context, the public needs to be aware of this false propaganda and fake news. The false information and images being spread on social media have no relation to reality. The public should always seek information from authentic sources and not be part of such false propaganda.
Islamabad, Pakistan: A Joint Task Force was formed to identify those involved in malicious propaganda against the state of Pakistan. The Joint Task Force has been formed under the orders of the Prime Minister.
A ten-member Joint Task Force has been formed under the leadership of the Chairman PTA. The Joint Task Force also includes officers from other institutions. Given the recent terrorist incidents, misleading propaganda is going on against the state of Pakistan and the security forces. Some mischievous elements are spreading misleading propaganda regarding the security forces.
The propaganda aims to spread chaos in the country to achieve their nefarious political objectives. The Joint Task Force will identify the elements spreading false propaganda given the recent protests. The task force should formulate its recommendations within ten days and submit them to the government
“No man is an island, entire of itself. Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. Any man‘s death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind. Therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee”—-John Donne; an English poet
If we talk about the journey of growth or human maturity there are three levels. The first is dependent. When we are born we depend on others. And for many years, our life depends on others physically emotionally, and financially. Few people can be stuck on this stage for the whole of their life. Then people start relying on themselves for everything. That stage is independence. You feel good and you think you no longer need anybody and you are independent. But this feeling of ecstasy does not last long soon we realize that we need people in our life and we have to work with them to achieve our goals. That stage is interdependence.
We depend on our fellow humans and other natural resources for survival
We often think that a good life is something that is achieved at an individual level, as we alone can be responsible for our happiness and fulfillment in life. However philosophical wisdom and modern research indicate that we depend on many factors outside ourselves to live an enjoyable and meaningful life. When we talk about meaningful life our connectedness with others does not decrease the importance of our own mindset, thinking process, and actions. Rather it is an interplay of outside forces and how we react to them. And ultimately all the humans are in this life together. We depend on our fellow humans and other natural resources for survival. For a better life for everyone, we have to recognize and nourish this interconnectedness. The natural solution is to strengthen your connections with others. Research has proved that interconnectedness leads to longevity and reduces stress and anxiety. If you are in the company of uplifting people it will increase your wellbeing. It can start a cycle of well-being and spread like a viral infection.
We all are connected and dependent on each other as proved by scientific, religious, and native world views. If we extend love and kindness beyond our immediate relations and include all others in this compassion, we will experience a wider circle of connection and joy. We can extend this to all living and non-living things. All these things give us enrichment and meaning in our lives. We are filled with a sense of mindful presence and kinship that motivates us toward the right actions as we care for ourselves and the universe we are part of.
When we realize we need other people in life in a way that we don’t depend on them, but that is necessary for mutual growth. That is the final stage of awakening that we all are knit together. If we hurt others, we hurt ourselves if we help others we are helping ourselves. Our mindset changes from who has the most, will win. Who has more money will win. Who has more power will win. And life is a competition. We have to come out of this scarcity mentality that there is not enough for everybody. If someone is getting more it means we will get less. But this is not reality if we help each other instead of competing with each other we all will get more and the pie will become bigger.
I am very happy to live in this era where people are talking about this phenomenon. Many best-seller books are written on this subject which means people are conceiving this idea. As almost every bigger organization has realized if we create competition among employees. It will finally become a hindrance to the growth of an organization. Teamwork is more important than competition. Otherwise, people will start hindering other people’s work which is equally important for the organization. So the idea of giving promotions and the bonuses to best people in the company did not work. This is because instead of working together people start creating hindrances for others to show their efficiency.
Some people are talking about this as an evolutionary shift . We are moving from independence where everything is me, me, and me to interdependence. We appreciate the paramount importance of interdependence. Many of us have realized we are part of a family we are part of one web. If one thing happens in one corner of earth it will affect us all. Many people refused to follow the crowd and realized we were connected on a deeper level. Quantum physics has discovered that the universe is an interconnected system, where everything happens concerning others.
Whether we feel it profoundly or not we know from birth to death we are connected to people. Due to this connectedness with others, we make major decisions in life. Where we want to live, whom we want to work for, and who we choose to spend our whole life with depends upon human connections. Thinking of yourself as a part of a bigger thing does not diminish or take away your individuality. We sometimes feel if we have no strings attached, we are free to do whatever we like. Acknowledging the sense of dependence on the world gives us a new sense of freedom. It liberates us and makes us realize the truth that we cannot live without other people and things. Because the ability to do whatever we want with no strings attached is an illusion. However when we realize our dependence on others we do not lose our identity or self, instead we understand the new depths of ourselves. When we connect with humanity we understand that feelings of disappointment and pain are universal. We all feel inadequate whatever the circumstances are, whatever triggers may be, and whatever degree may be. Basic experience will remain the same for all humans. Every day we have the opportunity to influence the people. It depends on us whether we uplift them or demean them. Our behaviors can pull us toward or away from the people. Connecting with people and building strong meaningful relationships helps us to learn, change, and grow. If we find a connection between what we are doing and some bigger purpose, we can increase our well-being and live a more fulfilled and happier life.
“The wonders of the universe are revealed to us in the meditation on interdependence. We can see that for one thing to exist, everything else needs to exist.” Thich Nhat Hanh
The author Dr. Attia Anwar is a consultant family physician with a postgraduate degree from the Royal College of GP UK. She is a strong advocate of health and well-being and wants patient participation in decision-making regarding health.
Islamabad, Pakistan: Eight khwarij have been sent to hell in two separate operations conducted in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Province from 29 November to 1 December 2024.
An intelligence-based operation was conducted in the general area Baka Khel, Bannu District on the reported presence of khwarij. During the conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and resultantly killed five khwarij, while nine khwarij got injured.
However, during the operation, Sepoy Iftikhar Hussain (Age: 29 years, resident of: District Jhang), having fought gallantly, embraced shahadat.
In another operation conducted in the general area of Shagai, Khyber District, three Khwarij were sent to hell, while two were apprehended by the security forces.
During an intense fire exchange, Captain Muhammad Zohaib Ud Din (Age: 25 years, resident of: District Lahore), who was leading his troops from the front, fought bravely, paid the ultimate sacrifice, and embraced shahadat.
These khwarij were involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces as well as innocent civilians.
Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other kharji found in the area as security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.
Islamabad: December 1, 2024: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on 21 November directed the federal government to take all necessary measures to maintain law and order in the federal capital.
The High Court directed the Interior Minister to engage with the PTI leadership in this regard. Given the sensitivity of the Belarusian President and the Chinese high-level delegation visit, PTI was initially asked to postpone the protest but on their persistence to continue with the protest, PTI was subsequently offered the Sngjhani area as a designated location. In this regard, out of the ordinary and at odd timings, meetings were also allowed between PTI leadership and its founder. On the contrary and in spite of the extraordinary concessions extended, PTI violated the court’s orders blatantly and instead of holding a protest at a designated place (Sangjani), unlawfully breached entry towards the Red Zone of Islamabad.
According to a press statement released by the Government of Pakistan, throughout the protest march from Peshawar to Red Zone Islamabad, violent protestors of PTI aggressively engaged Law Enforcement LEAs repeatedly using firearms and all sorts of other weaponry including steel slingshots, stun grenades, tear gas shells, and nail-studded batons to force their way to Red Zone Islamabad. This violent protest was primarily orchestrated and logistically & financially sustained and supported by the resources of the government of KP. Alarmingly, PTI’s protest included violent and trained miscreant elements including many illegal Afghan nationals who spearheaded the riots and violent activities throughout the march. These miscreants, employed as violent vanguard, comprised approximately 1500 hard-core fighters working directly under absconder and proclaimed offender Murad Saeed. This vanguard group, using militant tactics violently attacked the LEAs and breached the blocks with the help of government machinery paving the way for the second wave of vehicles and protestors to cross. It must be noted that LEA personnel, despite sustaining grievous injuries, exhibited a high degree of restraint against these violent protesters led by trained miscreants.
During this, a vehicle also ran over Rangers personnel performing duty at a check post in Islamabad, resulting in the shahadat of three Rangers soldiers and critical injuries to five. Besides, during the violent protest, one policeman embraced Shahadat, and 232 LEA personnel were also grievously injured by these miscreants. This violent mob not only attacked security forces but also set multiple police vehicles on fire, showcased firearms, burnt trees and police tents, damaged properties, and created terror among the common citizens.
Pakistan Army was deployed in Islamabad under Article 245 of the Constitution only to secure key government installations and foreign diplomats in the sensitive Red Zone while ensuring a secure environment for high-profile foreign dignitaries visiting the country.
On 26 November, as protesting miscreants reached Red Zone, violating the lawful orders of the IHC, the situation escalated and they directly clashed multiple times with LEAs using firearms, tear gas shells, stun grenades, steel slingshots nail-studded batons, etc.
LEAs comprising Police and Rangers were employed without live ammunition to disperse this violent mob while the Army neither came in direct clash with these miscreants nor was employed for riot control. During this process, the armed guards of the protesting leaders and the hard-core armed miscreants resorted to indiscriminate firing. The leadership under the cover of such self-induced violence instead of controlling the violent mob fled from the area. Once the area had been cleared from the violent protestors and miscreants, site media visit was also promptly undertaken by both the Information Minister and Minister for Interior followed by the press talks.
Unfortunately, the social media accounts of PTI resorted to planned and coordinated massive fake propaganda of deaths caused by LEAs so as to divert attention from this senseless, violent, and failed activity. The major hospitals of the Capital city after due diligence rubbished reports of alleged gunshots and casualties inflicted by LEAs. However, a sustained fabricated social media campaign, using old and AI-generated clips is being viciously undertaken by PTI and joined by other inimical elements. There have been multiple false claims of deaths ranging from tens to hundreds to thousands on social media as well as PTI political leadership and their official pages.
Alarmingly, certain elements of foreign media also fell prey to this fake news and propaganda without any credible evidence. The government functionaries including Ministers as well as Chief Commissioner ICT and senior police officials, who were directly involved in these riot control operations, have already repeatedly explained and clarified the actual situation and events unfolding with credible evidence. It may also be noted that the use of lethal means by LEAs if at all to be employed, was best suited at multiple route blocks rather than within the Red Zone under complete media and public glare.
Officers and jawans of LEAs embraced shahadat, sustained injuries, and risked their lives enduring grave physical hardships for multiple days to protect the lives and properties of citizens of Pakistan. Still, many jawans of Rangers and Police are critically injured and are receiving medical care.
Unfortunately, PTI and its social media propagandists are bent upon to create divisions and confusion within society. Such elements, whether inside the country or abroad, will surely be held accountable under relevant laws and no one will be allowed to sow divisions, and hatred and propagate fake news.
It is deplorable that the Chief Minister of KP made baseless inflammatory statements against institutions, using the KP Assembly as a platform to distort facts and spread blatant lies, rather than being ashamed of inciting innocent youth of KP to such undesirable activities.
It is concerning to note that 39 lethal weapons including 18 automatic weapons have been recovered from the violent protesters and that amongst the apprehended offenders there are more than three dozen paid aliens.
With regards to material losses incurred during the violent protests, initial estimates suggest damages to the tune of hundreds of millions.
Besides, 11 vehicles of LEAs were damaged including prison vans set ablaze. Due to these violent protests, indirect losses to the economy are estimated to be Rs 192 billion per day. In addition to that, significant expenditure is incurred on taking necessary security measures. While the plundering of the financial resources by the KP Government is separate.
The people of Pakistan including the proud people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reject this kind of violent and extremist streak of politics. They also reject the baseless allegations and malicious designs behind the vicious propaganda and the complete nation wholeheartedly stands firm with peace and stability in the country.
Islamabad, Pakistan: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is the son of “Eik Zardari Sab pay Bhari” (Only Zardari can influence everybody). He is also the son of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and grandson of Zulifqar Ali Bhutto. He represents over 55 years’ legacy of Pakistani politics but nowadays behaves like a loser.
Bilawal who is an integral part of the led government in the Centre is facing an existentialist crisis in Punjab and it looks like his party is ‘thrown and condemned’ and the person who defeated Bilawal Bhutto in Lahore is the face of Pakistani politics as the Federal Minister of Information while PMLN leadership in Punjab is becoming habitual of taunting PPP’s Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan whenever it deems fit to PMLN. Even so, Information Minister Punjab Azma Bokhari categorically said that Sardar Saleem Haider Khan should leave the Governorship and join PTI. Cracking jokes over the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is the norm in Punjab’s cabinet while his Sindh government is not receiving any share of promotion at state-run media under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting rather a slow by a steady campaign against PPP could be smelled in the media allegedly planned by PMLN government. In all these circumstances, the PPP is taking a position that it would not support banning any political party such as PTI that is habitual of attacking the capital city of Islamabad and abusing national institutions. This position of PPP may help it to portray itself as a ‘champion of parliamentary politics’ but compromising parliamentary politics as reckless conduct of the PTI-led provincial government of KPK is raising the question that power conferred to provinces under the 18th Constitutional Amendment is too daring to enable provincial governments to physically attack the Federation. PPP’s position against any attempt to clamp the Governor’s Rule in KPK and criticizing a possible ban on PTI is serving those who have been against the 18th Amendment from the very day it was introduced. No the conduct of Chief Minister KPK Ali Amin Gandapur confirms that criticism against extraordinary administrative powers delegated to provinces under the 18th Amendment is practically weakening the Federation.
Whatever PTI has been doing since it was voted out from power in April 2022 cannot be accepted in any Parliamentary democratic country. Using Afghan nationals to disrupt law and order in Pakistan, creating chaos and disorder when foreign delegates are in the country (Belarusian President was in Islamabad when PTI attacked Islamabad while using provincial administration of KPK), attacking military installations (May 9, 2023), killing Rangers and policemen (On November 24-25-26, 2024), running campaigns against the state of Pakistan, writing letters to the UN to penalize the country on human rights issues, writing letters to IMF to stop payments to Pakistan, writing letters to US Congressmen and UK lawmakers to ask their countries to take punitive actions against Pakistan are some of ‘services’ of PTI against Pakistan and banning such party should be a service to the country instead of let this party to play havoc with country. Why the PPP is taking a position against the possible banning of PTI is a question that should be answered by Bilawal Bhutto because PTI’s act justifies to review 18th Constitutional Amendment that has provided exceptional powers to provinces and these powers (economic as well as administration) are now used by PTI against Federation.
Political analysts believe that Bilawal Bhutto is losing politically by not responding to what his party is facing in Punjab taking an absurd position in favor of PTI and actually putting the 18th Amendment in danger. Who knows what PTI and Gandapur are doing by designed to harm the 18th Amendment?
Pakistani politics represents dirty and abusive language, hatred, vulgarity, and anti-state narratives and protests. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1950s and 60s introduced practically the strategy of nonviolent protest in the US and secured a marvelous acceptability in the US society and state circles. On the other hand, Malcolm X adopted the violent strategy of protest by chanting the slogan, ‘ballet or bullet’ and was discarded by the majority of the US people.
We, the Pakistani or third-world nations, learned nothing from such brilliant movements and philosophies. God shakes conscience, again and again, to educate people to adopt a new positive direction in political affairs. A new wave of this great message came to Pakistan from the New Zealand Parliament to convince the political leadership to mend their ways and create an environment of peace and harmony in Pakistan. This protest also teaches the Pakistani people to embrace their cultural ethos and do sincere politics with their voters. Maori people are original and Indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand making up 20 percent of New Zealand’s 5.3 million population who fought against the Colonists but ultimately concluded a treaty with the Britishers in 1840 and became part of the new social order. The new psyche, traditions, food, system, and attitudes had a grievous impact on the Maori people and reduced their numerical strength. The lawmakers decided to bring changes in the Treaty of Waitangi and sought opinions from different parties on the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill. As the Speaker asked Hana Rawhiti for the opinion of her party, Te Pāti Māori on the bill she stood up and started performing Haka and tore the paper of the legislation on 14 November 2024.
Hana Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, a 22-year-old author, a politician by the family tradition, and an elected parliamentarian of the New Zealand assembly, made a ceremonial Haka dance with loud and melodious chant in the Parliament to show a fierce resentment on a controversial bill being discussed in the Parliament to redefine the treaty between the British and Maori leaders in 1840. This bill was to damage the identity and rights already recognized in the Treaty of Waitangi as the conservative coalition government moved the bill on the ideology that no special status can be given on the ethnic basis and the government wanted equal status of all the New Zealanders. The other Maori members also joined Hana and expressed their defiance on the intriguing changes in the Treaty. This is the ever-best protest in the world that was nonviolent and based on cultural ethos. After this protest, the Speaker, Gerry Brownlee, was forced to suspend the session temporarily on Thursday.
Haka dance in the Parliament of New Zealand by a young Hana Rawhiti is popularly viral throughout the world. Her facial impressions show sincerity, commitment, purity, and unremitting enthusiasm for the cause of her community rights. Adopting the cultural style of protest popularized her. Her speech in the public gathering testified that her commitment to the Maori cause is unshakable. We in Pakistan always seem critical of our regional cultures and languages but the movement by the Maori tribe exposed how much culturist the factions are living in Western societies. They love their language, dress, traditions, and customs. Even the modern Pakistani section and political parties are sharing this video correlating it with their own cause and rights struggle although they hate the local cultures and languages. Most of the private modern schools and Colleges in the Punjab take the Punjabi language and local dress as a symbol of derogation and ignorance. Can they learn something from this young girl? The Maori people have been on the roads wearing the traditional dress or chanting the traditional Haka dance and songs which show the fury against the bill. We take Western societies as revolutionary and modern but still they honor the cultures, traditions, and customs. Once they concluded that violence is subversive and detrimental to the country and its people, they abandoned it as the Maori people are doing but in Pakistan the political parties especially the youth have been protesting violently. Even the top political leaders impart hatred and detestation in the minds of their followers. Religio-political parties are going in the same direction. Once a Maori member was interrupted for not wearing a tie in the Parliament which infuriated the Maori tribe. Haka dance translates to the strength, anger, and unity of the Maori people on the cause. This dance is also observed at some special events or festivals but with full reverence and spirit and it has a big impact on the audience and viewers because of the genuine enthusiasm. The Maori dance was done to show unity and adherence to the aggrieved when the Muslims were killed by an extremist New Zealander in the Mosques.
Note: The article was first published in Pakistan Observer. Dr Akhtar Hussain Sandhu is a Professor of History and Principal of Govt Islamia College Civil Lines Lahore. He did his Postdoc in the UK and is the author of several books. He is considered an authority on Muslim-Sikh Politics and their relationship. He writes for national newspapers and appears as an analyst on state-run television as well as on international television channels in the UK, Canada, and the United States.
Peshawar, Pakistan: Over 80 persons dead in one week in tribal cum sectarian conflicts in Kurram district but Chief Minister Amin Ali Gandapur is dancing and leading a protest to the capital to subjugate the federal government.
A question arises here is it not a senseless and inhuman act of Gandapur to lead a protest while 80 dead bodies in clashes in Kurram district? Another unfortunate situation is that the provincial administration of KPK is busy supporting Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to make his protest a success despite clear orders from the Establishment Division of the Federal Government to stay away from the political facilitation of the provincial government.
The maximum that CM Gandapur did to maintain order in Parachinar was to send a delegation to the area on Saturday to negotiate a ceasefire between rival tribes following armed clashes that resulted in nearly 80 deaths this week. The tribal cum sectarian conflict in Kurram district, which borders Afghanistan, had a long history where one sect always got physical support and fighters from Afghanistan. On Thursday armed men from the Sunni tribe ambushed multiple passenger vehicles and killed at least 45 Shi’ites, including men, women, and children.
Is it not a sheer shameless act of Gandapur to lead a protest leaving 80 dead bodies in clashes in Kurram district?
On Friday, Shi’ite community members conducted revenge attacks against the Sunni-dominated village where the ambush had taken place, killing at least 33 people and wounding dozens of others. The attackers set petrol stations on fire and damaged markets as well as homes.
Bloody tribal cum sectarian clashes also took place in September 2024 in upper Kurram that lasted over 10 days costing 46 deaths and 96 injured persons and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government kept away from the clash and did not take any administrative action to stop tribes from killing each other by using military grade weapons against each other.
Maintaining law and order is a provincial subject, however, instead of taking provincial subjects as a priority, the KP government is more interested in trespassing into federal subjects such as foreign affairs and has virtually left the province at the mercy of terrorists and radical forces.
Intense attacks in areas of Balishkhel, Sadda, Khar Kallay, Peewar, and Maqbal were reported in past also and ongoing violence in Kurram highlights the deep-rooted sectarian tensions among tribes and sometimes this tautness got support from terrorists from Afghanistan. This time a land dispute was converted into sectarian violence that underscores the fragile peace in regions.
Kurram district has a history of bloody confrontations that have claimed hundreds of lives over the years and terrorist outfits such as TTP have been using sectarian divide to get harbors as they got active support of one of the sects that had been active in Afghan Jihad in since the 1980s. The Kurram district, formerly a semi-autonomous area had been a launching pad of terrorists in the last three decades against the state of Pakistan. A major conflict that began in 2007 continued for years before being resolved with the help of a jirga, (a council of tribal elders), in 2011. This was the same era when TTP was formed and started its activities against the Pakistan Army. The year 2024 had been a bloody year for this area as another round of clashes broke out over a property dispute in July, leaving 38 dead and 158 injured in the same district.
Out of a new wave of terrorism (2024), so far over 400 personnel and civilians have been martyred while over 800 have been injured in various attacks by outlawed terror outfits across the KP in 2024
The overall security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has become alarming this year and the provincial government is not taking responsibility for the situation because this government invited TTP terrorists back to Pakistan from Afghanistan through a deal with the Afghan Taliban. PTI government announced a presidential pardon for top terrorists who were convicted and got death sentences from courts of law. The local people of Swat, Parachinar, Peshawar, and other districts hold former prime minister Imran Khan and former DG ISI who also served as Corp Commander Peshawar responsible for whatever killings are going on in the province. They claim that the Imran-
In the new wave of terrorism, till September 2024 as many as 337 state personnel and civilians have been martyred while 616 have been injured in various attacks by outlawed terror outfits across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in 2024 (figures are official and compiled by the provincial police).
Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), confirmed that this year alone, 103 police personnel have been martyred while 154 have been injured. Similarly, 103 civilians have also been martyred, and 159 people have been injured in various attacks.
According to another report prepared by a law enforcement agency and released in September 2024, Dera Ismail Khan, the hometown of Chief Minister Amin Ali Gandapur has seen the highest number of police casualties with 63 personnel martyred followed by Bannu with 58, North Waziristan with 50, South Waziristan with 38, Bajaur with 29, Khyber with 22, Peshawar with 18, Kurram with 16, Mardan and Malakand with 11 each, Kohat with 10, Dir with 8, Hazara with 1, and Mohmand with 2 personnel martyred.
The report further reveals that 49 Frontier Corps (FC) personnel have been martyred this year while 124 have been injured
The report also highlights that terrorists have targeted and martyred four politicians in Bajaur and North Waziristan while two were injured. In Dera Ismail Khan, 25 police personnel have been martyred while 23 have been injured, and in Bannu, 23 police personnel have been martyred with 20 injured. Moreover, there has been a surge in extortion incidents across the province including in Peshawar with 98 cases registered so far. The report reveals that a total of 98 extortion cases have been reported so far, with 242 suspects involved, of whom 99 have been arrested. The report indicates that the highest number of extortion cases, 50, were reported in Peshawar followed by 11 cases in the Khyber District and 6 cases in Dera Ismail Khan. The report further shows that in Dera Ismail Khan, 41 suspects, in Upper Dir, 27, in Khyber, 26, in Mardan, 16, and in Kohat, 12 suspects have been named in extortion cases. The police officials mentioned that many people do not report extortion calls, leading to several cases going unreported.
According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s CTD statistics, there were 806 incidents of terrorism in 2023 with 1,404 people losing their lives. In the seven former tribal districts merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 342 incidents of terrorism were recorded while 464 incidents were recorded in other districts. There were 243 attacks on the police and 563 attacks on public gatherings and other security personnel. In those incidents, 74 police personnel were martyred, 401 were injured, 51 military personnel were martyred, and 144 civilians also lost their lives. Dera Ismail Khan topped the list with 132 incidents of terrorism in 2023.
According to the CTD, most of the individuals involved in the attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been Afghans. These terrorists and suicide bombers were fully trained in Afghanistan before being sent to Pakistan for terrorist activities.
A senior police official believes the Police are losing morale in its fight against terrorists because the Chief Minister shows no interest in security issues of the province and is always found busy with his political issues and spends much of his time in Islamabad
The CTD investigations reveal that the masterminds behind major attacks are Afghans who plan the operations from Afghanistan, hampering progress in investigations. It’s worth noting that there has been an increase in operations against terrorists in 2023. Last year, more than 1,000 cases were registered, resulting in the arrest of over 700 terrorists. More than 250 terrorists were killed during the CTD operations.
In August 2024 alone, 11 police stations in Peshawar were targeted with four attacks on police stations and mobile teams on Warsak Road in just one week
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, most terrorist attacks carried out throughout the province have targeted the police. The police stations in the suburban areas of Peshawar have been particularly targeted. In August 2024 alone, 11 police stations in Peshawar were targeted with four attacks on police stations and mobile teams on Warsak Road in just one week.
The provincial government claims that it is working to enhance the capacity of the police, especially the Counter-Terrorism Department. In the current fiscal year’s budget, the government has allocated Rs 140 billion to the police. Between 2019 and 2023, the provincial government also set bounties for the capture of terrorists, allocating Rs 3.31 billion for this purpose. It was claimed that 2,251 terrorists were present in 28 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Monitoring Desk: The language that Chief Minister KPK used in the provincial assembly on November 29, not only exposed him as nothing more than a street vandal but once again showed his political and moral defeat by making a very vile, false, and poisonous speech – such a speech by the Chief Minister of such an unfortunate province in which the worst insults were made against the Pakistan Army at a time when the Pakistan Army is paying a heavy price in blood in the war on terror daily due to the failures of the same Chief Minister in the province of the weakest governance.
Journalists from Peshawar claim that CM Gandapur used extremely objectionable language against state institutions because his hire guns have been arrested who mostly belong to Afghanistan and their confessional statements are enough to try Amin Gandapur for criminal charges such as murder, attempt of murder, violence against state abetment for attacking state institutions and conspiracy against the Central government. Now Gandapur plans to instigate the Federal government to clamp the operations of the provincial government and establish Governor’s Rule so he would become a ‘political martyr’
Standing on the floor of the provincial assembly, Gandapur made the vilest and completely baseless accusation of firing bullets by the Pakistan Army against protesters.
The confessional statements of Afghans hired by Gandapur confirm that CM was directly involved in hiring criminals to kill personnel of law enforcement agencies.
Evidence of the presence of illegal Afghans was revealed during the PTI protest. Arrested illegal Afghan miscreants said;
I belong to Afghanistan, our people were firing on police and Rangers personnel—Beitullah
I belong to Afghanistan, Ali Amin Gandapur lured us with two to three thousand and fired on us. Abrarul.
Islamabad police personnel were injured in our firing. My duty was with a vehicle in which weapons were being transported. Abrarul Haq
I belong to the Kandahar province of Afghanistan and was hired by PTI. Aman Khan
They gave us two thousand rupees and tied us up here and then they ran away. Oh Allah, protect us, I am poor and helpless and I became a victim of the cunningness of PTI people. Pervez Khan
I belong to Kunduz province of Afghanistan; my duty was with a vehicle. Fazal Haq
PTI workers were carrying weapons in their vehicles. 25 to 30 Kalashnikovs were distributed among the people from this vehicle. Fazal Haq
Islamabad, Pakistan: A Joint Task Force was formed to identify those involved in malicious propaganda against the state of Pakistan. The Joint Task Force...
Islamabad, Pakistan: Eight khwarij have been sent to hell in two separate operations conducted in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Province from 29 November to 1 December...
Islamabad: December 1, 2024: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on 21 November directed the federal government to take all necessary measures to maintain law...
The author Dr. Attia Anwar is a consultant family physician with a postgraduate degree from the Royal College of GP UK. She is a strong advocate of health and well-being and wants patient participation in decision-making regarding health.
Note: The article was first published in Pakistan Observer. Dr Akhtar Hussain Sandhu is a Professor of History and Principal of Govt Islamia College Civil Lines Lahore. He did his Postdoc in the UK and is the author of several books. He is considered an authority on Muslim-Sikh Politics and their relationship. He writes for national newspapers and appears as an analyst on state-run television as well as on international television channels in the UK, Canada, and the United States.
