PESHAWAR: Chief Minister of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Ali Amin Gandapur said on Sunday there are an estimated 22,000 to 24,000 Pakistani terrorists in Afghanistan, while another 16,000 to 18,000 such elements are operating within the country.
Speaking to foreign media representatives at the Chief Minister’s House here on Sunday, he also observed that Pakistan lacks the capacity to ensure law and order along the thousands-of-kilometre-long border with Afghanistan.
Gandapur remarked that initiating negotiations with Afghanistan was beyond the authority of the provincial government.
“Due to the international law, we cannot pursue terrorists into Afghan territory. [This is why] I urged the federal government to engage in negotiations with Afghanistan.”
He added that he was duty-bound to voice his concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation, “as the people of my province are being killed by terrorism.”
Gandapur resolved that in pursuit of ensuring the protection of his people, he would have to consider unconventional approaches.
He indicated that the provincial government may engage with the Afghan government directly to address the issues linked to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Matters beyond that can be resolved between Afghanistan and the federal government.”
The firebrand chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa claimed he had told the federal government that the issue of law and order could not be resolved without dialogue with Afghanistan.
According to him, the federal government did not agree with his suggestion initially “rather they ridiculed me”.
Gandapur further noted that the federal government has now acknowledged the necessity of engaging with Afghanistan to achieve peace as there is no other viable solution. He called on the federal authorities to move “beyond rhetoric” and take practical steps to initiate dialogue with Afghanistan.
Reflecting on the region’s history, he remarked, “Before military operations in the tribal areas, these regions enjoyed complete peace. It was only after the operations that the security situation deteriorated.”
The chief minister also came down hard on the “establishment’s policy of differentiating between good and bad Taliban,” stating that it has caused significant harm to the country without yielding any benefits.
He also urged the Punjab people to acknowledge the sacrifices of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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“The peace in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and other parts of the Punjab is a result of the sacrifices made by the people and security forces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Punjab should be grateful for this.”
He concluded by noting that major terrorist commanders had been eliminated in recent police and military operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, “significantly improving the security situation over the past months.”
