KP governor rules out talks with armed groups, seeks more police funds

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's policy will come from Islamabad, not Afghanistan, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said at a press conference in Peshawar on Sunday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said, Dunya News reported.

Kundi said the province fully supported operations against terrorism and that intelligence-based operations were essential to restore peace.

He said there could be no negotiations with those who took up arms against the state, and that the province had reached a point where there was no room to turn back.

Kundi said the PTI government had not been serious about ending terrorism in the province.

He said militants who had fled to Afghanistan had been resettled in the province, and that an integrated strategy was needed to end the problem.

At the same press conference, Home Secretary Amjad Ali said the province would increase resources for the police and the Counter Terrorism Department, or CTD.

Ali said the police would be strengthened and equipped with modern technology, weapons and other equipment.

He said Rs10.3 billion would be provided to the CTD and Rs70 billion had been allocated for the police.

Ali said the police martyrs' package was higher than in other provinces.

He said the previous government had allocated Rs6.4 billion for 22 districts but released only Rs1 billion.

Ali said more than 1,000 soldiers had been martyred in the fight against terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said those who spread propaganda against security forces were enemies of the country, and that social media monitoring was being improved to expose terrorist networks.

Ali also said the inactive government had not cooperated in the return of Afghan refugees.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa shares a long border with Afghanistan, and militant violence in the province has been a major concern for the government for several years.