PM Shehbaz said the development of AJK and G-B and the prosperity of their people were among the government’s priorities.

According to the statement issued by the PMO, the prime minister made the remarks during a meeting with Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Engineer Amir Muqam in Islamabad.

During the meeting, matters relating to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), G-B and K-P were discussed during the meeting. “Rising terrorism in K-P must be stopped at all costs,” the prime minister said.

He said the government wanted K-P to develop like other parts of the country and appreciated the sacrifices made by the people of the province in the fight against terrorism.

The statement further added that the federal minister briefed the prime minister on ongoing matters and progress in AJK and G-B. The prime minister directed that effective measures continue to ensure the welfare and development of the people of AJK and G-B and the provision of basic facilities.

PM Shehbaz said the development of AJK and G-B and the prosperity of their people were among the government’s priorities.

Terrorism has risen in K-P over the past month, with a series of attacks targeting police, government officials and civilians across the province.

On October 7, police foiled an attack by Fitna al-Khawarij on the Shadipur police post in Kohat. Four police personnel were injured in the exchange of fire and shifted to hospital, while police continued to pursue the attackers in a search-and-strike operation.

On September 28, three traffic wardens were martyred, and at least one other was seriously injured when unidentified armed men opened fire on a traffic police vehicle in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s (K-P) Wazirabad area of Tank district, District Police Officer Abdul Samad said.

On September 26, at least 12 people were killed and 35 others injured when a blast struck a joint checkpoint near Aman Mela in the Darazinda area of Dera Ismail Khan, with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claiming responsibility for the attack, police said. Radio Pakistan reported that the blast was extremely powerful after a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) rammed into the checkpost.

On September 18, at least 21 people, including 15 police personnel and six civilians, were killed in the blast at a mosque in Kohat’s Police Lines during Friday prayers, according to an initial incident report issued by the DHQ Hospital Kohat medical superintendent and the district health officer.