Interior Minister raises concerns over KP situation, urges leadership to avoid long march

ISLAMABAD, Sep 21 (APP):Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday expressed concern over the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and urged political leaders to avoid actions that could create further difficulties for the country and its people.

Speaking on the issue of KP, the minister said recent attacks had claimed the lives of security personnel, while plans for a long march were being discussed despite the prevailing circumstances.

Addressing a press conference, Mohsin Naqvi said he had attended funerals in Peshawar at around 1:00 a.m. the previous night. Referring to political differences, he said he had never seen a situation where KP government representatives or ministers did not attend the funerals of those who had lost their lives in the line of duty.

He stated that the martyrs did not belong to any political group and were the martyrs of Pakistan. He questioned why neither the leadership nor ministers from the provincial government attended the funerals.

Mohsin Naqvi said the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the last 10 days was before everyone.

He noted that a suicide attack had taken place at a mosque and that two to three other attacks had also occurred during the same period. He said a captain, soldiers and police personnel had embraced martyrdom in these incidents.

The minister said that while the province was facing security challenges and mourning the loss of its personnel, preparations were being made to move towards Islamabad. He maintained that such a course of action would not bring any benefit. He warned it would affect the country’s economy, impact those organizing the activity and also affect ordinary people.

Naqvi said the federal government had repeatedly conveyed its position to the concerned leadership during meetings held in Islamabad. He stated that they had been told several times that such activities could not achieve any objective.

He said there was still time for the leadership to reconsider its approach. He urged them not to place themselves in a situation from which there would be no way forward.

The interior minister further stated that if a long march was launched, the government would act in accordance with the discussions already held on the matter.

He said there would be no room for any loophole in the implementation process. Naqvi added that, in his view, a majority of the party’s leadership did not want a long march. However, if such a move was undertaken under any circumstances, the Islamabad High Court’s orders were already in place.

He said the government would ensure implementation of the court’s directions in letter and spirit. He added that carrying out those orders was the government’s responsibility and there would be no shortcoming in fulfilling that duty.

Concluding his remarks, Mohsin Naqvi urged political leaders to move beyond political considerations and avoid any approach that could cause difficulties for themselves or their supporters.