Governor Kundi vows to dismantle terror networks, strengthen

KP Governor Kundi vows to dismantle terrorism networks and enforce zero tolerance for corruption at first Advisory Council meeting. He prioritises police and CTD capacity, public services and peace, as officials decide to remove Peshawar containers in phases and partially restore internet KP governor chairs first Advisory Council meeting, makes law and order top priority after emergency and governor's rule Pledges to strengthen police and CTD, target terror facilitators and financiers, and restore peace and public confidence Govt to remove Peshawar containers in phases, partially restore internet and review police salaries and martyrs' compensation PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Sunday chaired the first meeting of the KP Advisory Council, formed by the federal government following the imposition of an emergency and governor's rule in the province, declaring that the fight was against terrorism and the ideology and network facilitating it and undermining the rule of law. Addressing the council's inaugural meeting, Kundi said its members would face numerous challenges and stressed the need to accelerate governance, ensure timely delivery of services and adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. At the outset, members introduced themselves and outlined their respective portfolios. The governor congratulated them on their appointments, saying they would receive detailed briefings on their assigned portfolios and be given a few days to familiarise themselves with their responsibilities. 'We have to fast-track things. There will be zero tolerance on corruption. Things should be done in a timely manner,' he said, emphasising that the council would have to demonstrate a clear improvement over the performance of its predecessors. Kundi identified the law and order situation as the council's first priority, urging its members to draw lessons from the experiences of other provinces where necessary. Members of newly formed KP Advisory Council Describing the prevailing situation as an 'opportunity', he called for concerted efforts to improve the province's image and create conditions conducive to tourism and investment. 'If we have peace, we will get tourists and investors. My support is with you. I am available for you 24/7,' he said. The governor subsequently read out a message for the people of the province, saying that 'extraordinary circumstances' had necessitated 'necessary measures' under the Constitution. He said he would refrain from making allegations or engaging in political rhetoric, stressing that restoring peace, security and stability in KP was the primary objective. 'I have one message: peace, protection and stability have to be brought back to KP,' he said, adding that the people of the province had paid a heavy price for the terrorism that had plagued the region. 'The time has now come to give the people of the province, who have rendered these sacrifices, the right to peace. Our fight is against terrorism. Our fight is against the ideology and network which facilitates terrorism and weakens the implementation of the law,' he said. Kundi said Pakhtuns were not responsible for terrorism but were its 'biggest victims'. He said the state had resolved to eliminate terrorism from KP so that its people could live their lives without fear. 'My first priority will be protecting the peace and the people. Right now, our biggest priority is taking effective steps against terrorism. For this, the capacity of the police and the Counter Terrorism Department will be increased,' he said. The governor said another key objective of the council would be to address public needs, emphasising that the performance of a government should be judged by the services it delivered rather than its statements. 'Mere statements are not the real test of a government, rather the service it provides to the people,' he said, adding that the council would focus on healthcare, education and employment. Kundi said the third objective was to dismantle the wider ecosystem that enabled terrorism to flourish in the province, stressing that action against militants alone would not be sufficient. 'We cannot solve the issue by just targeting terrorists. Those facilitating and financing … must be eliminated,' he said, adding that all those involved in terrorism would be dealt with in accordance with the law. He assured the people of KP that the 'extraordinary steps' taken by the authorities were not aimed at any particular political party or group. The primary objective, he said, was to restore peace and security, and he called on the public to cooperate with the authorities. Security situation reviewed Separately, Governor Kundi chaired a high-level meeting to review the security situation in the province, during which he received a detailed briefing on the overall law and order situation, counterterrorism efforts and prevailing circumstances. According to an official handout, the meeting decided that all containers currently placed in Peshawar would be removed in phases 'as soon as possible'. 'Internet services will be partially restored based on necessity,' the statement added. The meeting also decided to enhance the compensation package for police personnel martyred in the line of duty and review police salaries. It further called for special attention to the education and training of the heirs of martyred personnel. The governor commended the administration and police for their role in maintaining order, describing the absence of any untoward incident amid the prevailing circumstances as a 'positive development', according to the handout. He reiterated that eliminating terrorism remained a 'top priority' and said the operational capacity of the police and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) would be further strengthened to achieve this objective. The meeting was attended by Advisor on Home Affairs Kifayatullah Khan, Chief Secretary Dr Muhammad Fakhr-e-Alam Irfan, Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Amjad Ali Khan, Additional IG Special Branch Muhammad Kashif Alam, Additional IG CTD, CCPO Dr Mian Saeed, Joint Director General IB Arshad Ali Khan and other relevant officials, the statement added.