Latest news with #K-P
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
K-P CM overseeing Tirah crisis: adviser
Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chief minister, has said Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur is personally overseeing the Tirah incident and has summoned a jirga of tribal elders in Peshawar to hear their concerns. "The CM is in constant contact with the relevant administration [to address the crisis]," Saif said in a statement on Monday. According to the adviser, the government is deeply saddened by the tragedy. Five people died and 17 others sustained injuries on Sunday when protesters were fired upon during a protest outside a military installation at the Bagh Maidan area of Tirah Valley of the Khyber district against the killing of a girl . Both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and CM Gandapur condemned the shooting. "We have announced Rs10 million each in compensation for those killed and Rs2.5 million for each of the injured. The provincial government stands in solidarity with the affected families and will remain beside them during this time of grief and sorrow," he added. He said the K-P government last week convened an All Parties Conference (APC) to prevent such incidents in the future. However, he lamented that opposition parties as well as K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, boycotted the conference, displaying a non-serious behavior. Meanwhile, PTI's K-P Organizational Committee, in an emergency meeting, strongly condemned ongoing "state violence" against peaceful citizens across the K-P, especially in the merged districts, which constituted the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) till early 2018. The committee unanimously asserted that extended military deployment under Article 245 of the Constitution has created an unchecked environment of force and ineffective accountability, violating basic rights and disrupting local peace. It made a strong demand to the federal government to revoke all notifications issued under Article 245 within 15 days and to formally announce the withdrawal of military forces from the merged districts. All PTI members in the KP Assembly were instructed to immediately present a resolution based on this demand and to ensure its passage with support from other parties. The committee further directed that the K-P advocate general (AG) be instructed to file an urgent petition in the Supreme Court to lift the stay order issued on December 22, 2023, which has suspended the Peshawar High Court's ruling limiting the scope of Article 245.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Armed gangs outsmart police
Armed snatchers in the city's upscale localities have adopted a novel technique to conceal weapons by hiding pistols in leather slits strapped below their knees, enabling them to evade police checks with alarming ease. The tactic, reportedly inspired by online content and aided by AI-based tips on avoiding detection, has surfaced in areas including Hayatabad, Dalazak Road and Ring Road. Members of Ababeel Force were unable to detect firearms during routine frisking, despite weapons being worn directly on the body. According to police sources and young suspects' own confessions on social media chat groups, the new gangs often target cafes, tea points and juice bars in affluent zones. They scout potential victims, usually youth with high-end smartphones, before executing the heist via motorcycles. Instead of strapping pistols to their waists or backs, the offenders tuck compact firearms inside narrow leather pouches worn close to the ankle, slipping past conventional pat-downs. A senior officer with over a decade of experience in K-P's counter-terrorism and investigations told The Express Tribune that technological evolution, including AI, has drastically altered how crimes are committed. "Drug smuggling based on live location sharing is already a challenge. Now, AI-driven street crimes are surfacing where even non-organised youth gangs are imitating techniques used by terrorist outfits," he said. Another officer disclosed that not only petty criminals but terrorists too have adapted. "In Chamkani, the suicide bomber wore a half-jacket, not the typical full-body explosive vest, a change that helped him deceive surveillance. This shift in patterns highlights the urgency to modernise police procedures." He said that current methods of body searches and checkpoints were outdated in light of evolving criminal innovation. "Modern policing has to catch up fast."
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PM condemns terrorist attack on civilians in Tirah
Listen to article Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday condemned the killing of unarmed civilians and protesters in Bagh Maidan, Wadi Tirah, in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, calling it a 'heinous act' and reaffirming his government's resolve to eliminate terrorism. According to initial reports, at least five people were killed and over 17 injured in the attack. However, the K-P government has yet to confirm the figures. The Prime Minister's Office said in a statement that PM Shehbaz had ordered immediate medical aid for the injured and condemned the firing by terrorists — referred to as Khawarij — targeting peaceful citizens. Read More: PM orders special flights after overland travel ban on Arbaeen pilgrims 'The nefarious designs of terrorists cannot shake our resolve,' the PM stated, reiterating his commitment to seeing the fight against terrorism through to its logical conclusion. K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also expressed sorrow over the tragedy and announced financial compensation of Rs10 million for each victim's family and Rs2.5m for those injured. He has summoned a jirga of tribal elders and public representatives to Peshawar to hear their concerns and strengthen ties between the government and local communities. Gandapur also directed district officials to increase engagement with residents and maintain peace and order. He said jirgas would be held at divisional and provincial levels from next week to address public issues more effectively. Separately, the Inspector General Frontier Corps (North) visited the injured at the FC Brigade Hospital, while Major General Rao Imran Sartaj met survivors at the Frontier Corps Teaching Hospital. The injured recounted the incident and thanked the FC and army teams for the free and timely medical care.
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Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Imran's release unlikely, sons won't come to Pakistan: K-P Governor
Listen to article Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has said that the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan from prison appears unlikely, adding that his sons are also not expected to return to Pakistan. Addressing senior journalists in Peshawar on Saturday, Kundi dismissed speculation about the involvement of Khan's sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, in PTI's upcoming protest campaign. 'It is highly unlikely they will come back,' he said, reiterating that prospects of Imran Khan's release remain slim. Earlier this month, Khan's sister Aleema Khan claimed that both sons would join the party's anti-government protest movement, expected to begin in August. She had also stated that the former prime minister would lead the campaign 'from inside the jail'. Reports suggest that Khan's sons have held meetings with key figures in the United States ahead of their possible visit to Pakistan. However, Governor Kundi appeared dismissive of these developments, describing them as political optics rather than reality. On the broader political and administrative front, the governor stressed the need for a tribal jirga to address unresolved issues in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). He proposed that the jirga include tribal elders, ex-parliamentarians, and political stakeholders from the region. 'The merger of FATA with K-P cannot be undone without a constitutional amendment,' he said, urging the federal government to release the development funds that were promised at the time of the merger. Turning to the security situation in the province, Kundi painted a grim picture. 'The law and order situation is dire. Extortion is being collected openly — even in broad daylight — from traders, local leaders, and ordinary citizens,' he said. 'In Dera Ismail Khan, people avoid stepping out of their homes after Asr prayers due to fear.' He also criticised what he termed the federal government's Punjab-centric approach to national initiatives. 'Schemes like the laptop programme, youth development projects, and Daanish Schools have excluded the youth of K-P,' he said. Commenting on the state of sports infrastructure, Kundi described the renovation of Peshawar's Arbab Niaz Stadium as substandard and said the lack of quality sports facilities was one reason why Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches have not been held in the province. On PTI's internal politics, the governor claimed the party was facing deep factionalism in K-P. 'They cannot even bring out 20 vehicles for their planned protest on August 5,' he concluded.
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Court issues warrants for 70 PTI workers
A court has issued bailable arrest warrants for 70 PTI workers for failing to appear in the November 26 D-Chowk protest case. Despite being summoned, none of the accused appeared before the court. After waiting for two hours, the judge issued bailable arrest warrants for all 70 and directed them to submit bail bonds of Rs50,000 each on the next hearing date. Former president Arif Alvi, PTI founder's sister Aleema Khan, K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Hammad Azhar, MNA Shahid Khattak, and Asad Qaiser are among the accused.
