ISLAMABAD, Jan 20 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday paid tribute to the unparalleled sacrifices rendered by the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), law enforcement agencies, armed forces, doctors, engineers, students, and civilians in the fight against terrorism, saying their blood paved the way for the complete elimination of terrorism by 2018.
Addressing participants at the KP National Workshop, the prime minister recalled that nearly 100,000 Pakistanis, including soldiers, police personnel, Rangers, and innocent civilians, laid down their lives to defeat terrorism. He said the tragic APS Peshawar incident became a defining moment for the nation, after which the political leadership and armed forces, under the leadership of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, unanimously decided that there would be no distinction between good and bad Taliban.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regretted that certain flawed decisions taken after 2018, including the release of hardened militants and allowing thousands of individuals to return from Afghanistan, led to the resurgence of terrorism. He said terrorism has once again emerged as a serious threat to Pakistan’s peace, development and prosperity, particularly in KP, where security personnel continue to embrace martyrdom on a daily basis to protect the nation’s future.
He strongly condemned attempts on social media to malign martyrs and spread poisonous propaganda in line with narratives of Pakistan’s enemies. “This nation will not rest until terrorism and its facilitators, inside or outside Pakistan, are completely eliminated,” he asserted.
Highlighting federal support to provinces, the prime minister recalled that under the 2010 NFC Award, all provinces agreed to allocate one percent of the divisible pool to KP in recognition of its sacrifices against terrorism. He said over the past 15 years, this amount has reached approximately Rs800 billion for capacity building and counter-terrorism efforts in the province. Similarly, he said, Balochistan was given a 100 percent increase in its share of resources, with Punjab voluntarily sacrificing part of its share.
Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that national progress is meaningless unless all provinces develop equally. In this regard, he announced that Rs400 billion have been allocated for the 850-kilometre “bloody road” project from Karachi to Chaman in Balochistan, without requiring any provincial contribution. He also highlighted federal initiatives including solarization projects in Balochistan, expansion of Danish schools in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, merit-based laptop schemes, education endowment funds, and the training of 1,000 young agriculture graduates from all regions of Pakistan in top Chinese universities.
The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s desire for peaceful and brotherly relations with Afghanistan, noting that Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades with dignity and generosity. However, he expressed deep concern over the failure of successive Afghan governments to honor commitments under the Doha Agreement to prevent terrorist groups from operating from Afghan soil. He said Pakistan was left with no option but to take firm measures to safeguard its people.
Responding to questions, Shehbaz Sharif rejected claims of confrontation between the federal and KP governments, stating that he personally reached out to the KP chief minister and remains fully committed to the province’s development. He also announced the revival of the Prime Minister Health Card programme, providing free medical treatment worth Rs40 billion to citizens in Islamabad, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The prime minister announced approval of a dedicated disability complex for victims of terrorism, particularly war-affected persons, after an emotional appeal from a differently-abled participant who survived a terrorist attack.
Concluding his address, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to defeat terrorism, strengthen the economy, and move forward through hard work, integrity and teamwork. “InshaAllah, the day is not far when Pakistan will reclaim its rightful place among the respected nations of the world,” he said.