Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur on Tuesday said his government would not tolerate terrorism in any form and vowed to pursue militants “to the last limit,” while calling on the federal government to fulfill its commitments to strengthen the province’s security apparatus.
Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, the chief minister said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been at the frontline of conflict for over four decades, bearing the brunt of militancy and unrest. “We celebrated them as mujahideen and ghazis, fought wars alongside them, and now we are left to face the consequences,” he remarked, adding that terrorism had been “gifted” to the province.
He said the province continued to face the fallout of regional instability, with cross-border threats compounding internal challenges. Gandapur pointed to intelligence reports alleging Indian designs to target not only security forces but also tribal communities. “Daesh is active against us, Afghanistan has turned into an unfriendly neighbour, and our own policies regarding refugees remain unclear,” he said.
The chief minister criticised past policies, including allowing US bases during the war on terror, which he claimed dragged Pakistan deeper into the conflict. He noted that after the change of government in 2022, counterterrorism policy shifted, leaving security forces to bear heavy losses. “On a daily basis, five to six security personnel and two police officials have been martyred,” he said.
Highlighting resource gaps, Gandapur said that despite billions allocated in the past, essential weapons were never procured. “In 2012, five billion rupees were given to the army, yet not a single gun was purchased. Today, our police do not have sniper rifles or thermal guns,” he stated, adding that the province was now procuring 50 bulletproof vehicles and constructing new police stations worth Rs7 billion to bolster frontline capacity.
The chief minister said 92 senior police officers were needed in the province but the federal government had not met this shortfall. “If the Centre cannot provide these officers, how can the province alone be expected to defeat terrorism?” he questioned.
Referring to recent counterterrorism operations, Gandapur said local communities had stood firmly with the security forces in Upper Dir and Bajaur. “This war is being fought in populated areas, and that is why we want to protect civilians while going all-out against militants,” he noted. He reiterated that terrorism would not be allowed to flourish in the province under any circumstances. “We will not tolerate terrorists. We will pursue them to the last limit,” Gandapur affirmed.
