Bannu violence: KP govt forms commission for 'transparent' probe

Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government announced on Saturday that they will form a commission to conduct a free and fair investigation into the violence at a peace rally in Bannu the previous day.

In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), KP government spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif said that the situation in Bannu was now under control, and security was heightened in “sensitive areas.”

Saif added that KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had announced the formation of a commission to investigate the incident. “The commission will conduct an impartial investigation and submit a report. Legal action will follow based on the findings,” Saif said.
He also urged the public to be extremely cautious due to the “rising wave of terrorism” and to not let anti-state elements disrupt peace in the province.

The incident resulted in the death of one person and injuries to 22 others when gunfire caused a stampede during a march in Bannu city on Friday. Thousands of people were attending the rally, demanding better security in the district. Organized by local traders and political parties, the rally featured participants waving white flags to symbolize peace. 

Earlier, in a press release issued by its media cell, the PTI core committee strongly condemned the violence in Bannu and “directed” its provincial government in KP to hold a transparent inquiry and punish those involved in the deaths of innocent people.

The party alleged that the security apparatus had resorted to firing on a peaceful demonstration, staged jointly by almost all political parties in Bannu, opposing a new “operation” against terrorism.

It said all political forces in Bannu were on the same page regarding the eradication of terrorism, but they would not allow any new operation that may claim the lives of innocent people.