KP condemns civilian deaths in Mardan anti-terror operation

WEB DESK: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government strongly condemned civilian casualties during a recent counter-terrorism operation in Mardan, while revealing it had received no prior notice about the raid from federal authorities.

In a video statement, adviser to CM KP, Barrister Dr Saif said that CM Ali Amin Gandapur had ordered a thorough investigation into the incident that left several civilians dead. “The killing of innocent citizens during anti-terror operations is condemnable and deeply regrettable,” he stated, adding that victim families would receive full financial support.

The statement added that this was the same area where high-profile terrorists like Mohsin Baqar and Abbas had been neutralised in past operations, and where police officer Ijaz Khan had been martyred. However, it mentioned that the provincial government and local police officials were completely unaware of the latest operation.

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“This communication gap is alarming as it risks fueling terrorism rather than curbing it,” Barrister Saif said, stressing that such unilateral actions wouldn’t be tolerated in future.

The KP government also criticised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for not specifically mentioning the women and children killed in the incident, calling it “deeply regrettable.” Barrister Saif urged all stakeholders to focus on unity rather than political point-scoring during this sensitive time.

While reaffirming the province’s commitment to fighting terrorism, the statement condemned militants’ tactics of using civilians as human shields. It called for a transparent operational review to prevent such casualties in future operations.

The development highlights growing tensions between provincial and federal authorities over counter-terrorism strategies, particularly in KP.