Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah has issued a strong warning about possible collateral damage during ongoing anti-terror operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said residents must either remove terrorists from populated areas or clear the way for security forces.
Speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan, Sanaullah stated that intelligence agencies have accurate information about the number and locations of terrorists. He claimed their intelligence work is perfect and that intelligence-based operations are already underway in sensitive areas of the province.
According to him, terrorists operate in small groups of three to fifteen members. Nearly 70 percent of these groups are present in the sensitive zones. “These terrorists are mixed in with the populations or are living among them,” he said.
Sanaullah explained that residents have been asked to remove the militants from their localities. If they are unwilling to do so, they should move aside so that the operation can proceed safely. “If neither of these two options is possible, then there will be a risk of collateral damage,” he warned clearly.
The PML-N leader alleged that the previous provincial government under Sohail Afridi had discouraged people from cooperating with law enforcement agencies. He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is now being administered under a governor-led setup whose top priority is the complete elimination of terrorism.
Sanaullah expressed confidence that terrorism in the province can be finished within weeks and months if the current administration continues to cooperate fully. Once the threat is removed, he believes the province can return to normal conditions.
On the political front, he said the federal government is ready to hold talks with the opposition. Referring to TTAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Sanaullah called him a respected leader and said the government would welcome him at the Prime Minister House and offer him tea.
President Asif Ali Zardari imposed emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 11 after a sharp rise in terrorist attacks. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later stated that the decision was taken under extreme compulsion to restore peace and development in the province.
