Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) interim Chief Minister Azam Khan on Tuesday rubbished the growing perception of delay in polls due to dilapidating security conditions in the province, which intensified after the horrific terror incident in the Peshawar mosque Monday.
As many as 100 lives were claimed and 200 were left injured when a terrorist exploded himself inside a mosque in the Police Lines area during Zuhr prayer.
Last week, KP Governor Ghulam Ali drew indicated that the polls may be delayed and the election date will be announced after a comprehensive review by law enforcement agencies.
Addressing a press briefing in Peshawar today, flanked by provincial police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari, after visiting the blast site in Police Lines, CM Khan was asked whether elections could be postponed due to terrorism.
“It has nothing to do with polls. Terror incidents were taking place much before the announcement of elections,” the chief minister said.
Khan noted that terror incidents are taking place in KP’s South — DI Khan, Lakki Marwat, and Tank areas.
In reply to another question, Khan said: “My message to the people is to keep their spirits high. Such things are happening here for the last 40 years, this is not a new thing.”
He said that due to the Afghan war, they were facing the scourge of terrorism in ex-Fata and KP “We should pray to God that we would fight this menace.”
Khan said that the administration and police are taking steps to curb this menace.
In the same press conference, KP Inspector-General of Police Ansari said that about 10-12 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the blast that rocked Peshawar.
He said that there has been a security lapse and investigations are underway to ascertain the facts.
“We are checking one-month’s CCTV footage and tracking the facilitators of the bomber,” he added.
The provincial police chief said that a joint investigation team (JIT) has been notified and the probe will clear everything soon. Those responsible will be identified and brought to book, he added.
He said that the attacker might have entered the premises as a guest. He added that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had denied responsibility for the attack last night.