Pakistan’s government has pledged to address concerns of traders and industrialists from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan by employing all available resources to resolve their issues and ensure their protection. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met a delegation of traders and industrialists on Friday, assuring them that the government would work tirelessly to address their concerns.
The meeting took place against the backdrop of security challenges in KP and Balochistan, where terrorist attacks have been reported. In May, Pakistan’s security situation deteriorated sharply due to escalating violence in both provinces, according to a report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). The government has since launched several operations aimed at combating terrorism.
Naqvi briefed the delegation on the overall security situation in KP and Balochistan, highlighting measures taken by the government to address these challenges. He assured traders that the private sector plays a crucial role in stabilizing Pakistan’s economy and that the government is committed to resolving all legitimate issues with them.
The meeting also took place during President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to Peshawar and Quetta, where Naqvi held detailed meetings with business community representatives. The president briefed him on the prevailing law and order situation in KP and Balochistan, as well as ongoing measures being taken to combat terrorism.
The government has also launched Operation Shaban in Balochistan in retaliation for a deadly attack on a police post at the Mangi Dam pumping station in Ziarat on July 6. The operation was successful in eliminating terrorists, but not before they kidnapped and killed several security personnel.
In KP, nine policemen were martyred and 28 others injured after terrorists attacked the Khazina Banda checkpost in Hangu district late on Wednesday. A statement issued by KP Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed attributed the attack to Fitna-al-Khawarij, a term used by the state for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
The government has also taken steps to address security concerns in Swat’s Matta tehsil. On July 24, terrorists attempted to breach a joint police checkpost’s perimeter but were swiftly and decisively foiled by security forces, eliminating 12 terrorists.
Naqvi had previously met with President Zardari during which both reviewed the country’s overall law and order situation, focusing on KP and Balochistan. The interior minister briefed the president on prevailing law and order situations in these provinces as well as ongoing measures being taken to combat terrorism.
Based on reporting from Dawn.
