ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir praised the police and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province during a visit to the Orakzai tribal district on Friday, vowing to provide all possible support to them in performing their duties.
The army chief’s visit comes at a time when militant factions operating in the area have relentlessly targeted the police, killing over 75 of them since the beginning of the year, leading to protests by law enforcement personnel in various parts of the province against these killings.
Security in the region has mostly been dominated by the army, which has been fighting proscribed militant factions like Al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban for about two decades, with the police seeking greater government support to empower them to deal with extremist violence in the area.
The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), informed General Munir received a briefing on the security situation in the area along with the ongoing intelligence-based counterterrorism operations that have been undertaken to ensure stability in the restive tribal district.
“Pak Army will continue to provide all out support to KPK Police and other LEAs in enabling them to perform their duties in newly merged districts,” the army chief said, referring to the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan that were integrated into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa nearly six years ago.
Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir (left in first row) receives briefing on the security situation during his visit to the Orakzai tribal district, Pakistan, on September 13, 2024. (ISPR)
He paid tribute to all the uniformed personnel of the police and security forces who had laid down their lives while performing their duties, saying “the hard-earned peace” achieved through their sacrifices would be maintained at all costs.
Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir (right) interacts with troops in Orakzai tribal district, Pakistan, on September 13, 2024. (ISPR)
The army chief also appreciated the support of the local population in assisting the security forces with their efforts, noting that their positive role was essential in sustaining peace in the region.
Earlier, General Munir laid a floral wreath at the Martyrs’ Memorial and interacted with troops in Orakzai who had participated in recent counterterrorism operations in the area.
