University Road corridor to be completed by Septem…

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, July 26: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has revealed that more than 1,300 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the recent attack on a security checkpost in Tank. The governor made the remarks while speaking to journalists at the Regional Police Office in Dera Ismail Khan. He had attended a security briefing on the law and order situation in the region. Kundi described the attack on the Manji Khel checkpoint as a major and tragic security incident. He said 15 people, including 14 security personnel, lost their lives in the attack. Personnel from the Pakistan Army, police and Forest Department were among those who were martyred, he said. The governor said the huge quantity of explosives used in the attack reflected the seriousness and scale of the militant threat facing the province. He called for a united national strategy to counter terrorism. He said the federal and provincial governments, security forces and the public must work together to defeat militant groups. Kundi said Pakistan was facing security challenges from both internal and external sources. He praised the sacrifices made by security forces to protect the country and its people. The governor also alleged that terrorist groups were using Afghan territory to carry out attacks against Pakistan. He further claimed that weapons left behind in Afghanistan by international forces were being used in attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Kundi said neither the people nor the security forces would be intimidated by such attacks. He praised the courage of injured personnel whom he met during his visit. He said the recommendations presented by regional police officials would be conveyed to the federal government. He also said he would raise the issue of improving compensation and support packages for injured security personnel with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and the provincial government. The governor stressed that supporting the families of martyred and injured personnel was a collective responsibility. He assured them that the government would continue to support them. Kundi also called for stronger coordination between the federal and provincial governments. He said Islamabad and Peshawar must work closely to tackle the growing security threat. He urged authorities to expand intelligence-based operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said he would discuss the matter with the provincial chief minister. According to the military’s media wing, militants had attempted to breach the perimeter of the joint police checkpost in Tank. Security forces responded quickly and killed 12 attackers. The attackers also drove an explosives-filled vehicle into the checkpoint’s perimeter wall. The resulting blast caused extensive damage to the infrastructure. The Tank attack comes as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to face a persistent threat from militant violence. In another recent operation in South Waziristan, security forces foiled a suicide attack and killed four terrorists, including the would-be suicide bomber. Kundi said restoring peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and surrounding areas remained a national priority. He praised police personnel for continuing to perform their duties despite difficult security conditions.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide will arrive in Pakistan on August 13 for a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation between Islamabad and Oslo. The visit will continue through August 14 and will be Eide’s first trip to Pakistan by a Norwegian foreign minister in a decade. Eide is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. During his stay, the Norwegian minister will hold delegation-level talks with Dar. The discussions are expected to cover a wide range of bilateral and international issues. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the two sides will examine opportunities to increase cooperation in trade and investment, climate change, renewable energy, education and people-to-people contacts. Regional and global developments are also expected to feature prominently in the talks. The visit comes as Pakistan and Norway have maintained diplomatic engagement through senior-level contacts in recent months. Dar and Eide held telephone discussions in March and April, while Norwegian State Secretary Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik visited Islamabad in May. Officials expect the latest visit to provide an opportunity to build on these contacts and identify new areas of cooperation that could benefit both countries. Pakistan and Norway have maintained cordial relations for decades, with cooperation extending across economic, development and diplomatic fields.