PESHAWAR — On Friday, members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly strongly condemned the reported drone strike in the Katlang area of Mardan district, which resulted in the deaths of nine people. The lawmakers called for a judicial probe into the incident and urged the formation of a house committee to investigate the matter.
The session, chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, saw legislators demand that both the chief secretary and the provincial police chief be summoned to clarify who was responsible for the operation. Several lawmakers expressed their concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the attack and the absence of any official statements on the details of the strike.
Humayun Khan, the Adviser to the Chief Minister on Prisons, stated that those killed in the alleged drone attack were members of the Gujjar tribe. He emphasized that the victims had legally rented the land in question and had completed all necessary formalities, including police registration. The tribesmen, according to Khan, had entered into a contract with the landowners to pay Rs 0.5 million. Khan called for a judicial inquiry into the incident, specifically the “Shamozao incident,” and demanded that those responsible be held accountable.
Iftikhar Ali Mashwani, an MPA from Mardan, pointed out that senior government officials seemed unaware of the reported drone strike. “How long will we continue to condemn such incidents?” he questioned, adding that security forces had yet to release any information regarding the number of militants killed in the attack. Mashwani stressed the need for clarity and transparency.
MPA Zarshad Khan, also elected from the same region, explained that the Gujjar tribe typically visited the area during the winter months and were set to return once their six-month contract expired. He claimed that while authorities initially admitted the strike was a mistake, they later changed their stance, insisting on social media that those killed were militants. Khan reaffirmed that the nine individuals who lost their lives were “innocent.”
Arbab Usman, a member of the opposition Awami National Party (ANP), criticized the treasury benches for calling for unity in the assembly but failing to convene a multi-party conference to address the growing concerns over security in the province. He reminded the house that 1,300 people were killed in 2024 alone, yet the government had not raised questions about these deaths.
Shahjahan Yousaf, a PML-N lawmaker, pointed out that SSP Ijaz Khan had been martyred in the same area, which he described as a known hotspot for terrorist activity. Yousaf held the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which governed KP for 12 years, responsible for the increasing terrorist attacks in the province. He accused the PTI government of facilitating the return of militants from Afghanistan. He also urged the PTI to accept responsibility for the rise in violence.
During the session, both the treasury and opposition benches united in their opposition to the KP Mines and Minerals Bill 2025, calling it a potential conspiracy against the province’s mineral resources. Several lawmakers expressed their concerns over the bill, urging the law minister not to table it for approval.
Shakil Khan, a member of the treasury benches, noted that the bill had been added to the “additional” agenda for the session. He criticized the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a body established under the prime minister’s leadership, which includes a range of high-ranking officials, including ministers, judges, and military generals. Khan questioned the credibility of such a body, given that some of its members reportedly have investments and properties abroad. He further alleged that the military establishment had significant stakes in SIFC, with interests in various sectors, including mines and minerals, agriculture, tourism, and oil and gas.
Khan called for greater transparency regarding foreign investments in the country and urged the provincial government to reject the proposed bill. “If we make this mistake on someone’s behalf, our future generations will never forgive us,” he warned.
Adnan Khan, a JUI-F member, voiced his concerns over the growing trend of transferring KP’s resources to the military. “We will never allow anyone to take over our resources,” he declared, reiterating his opposition to the bill.
Sohail Afridi, the Chief Minister’s Special Assistant for Communication and Works, responded by stating that the bill had been thoroughly discussed, particularly with regard to “strategic minerals.” However, Riaz Khan, an MPA, revealed that the Frontier Mines Owners Association, established in 1986, had not been consulted on the matter. He stressed the importance of engaging stakeholders in discussions before making such decisions.
Later in the session, Law Minister Aftab Alam Afridi tabled the KP Mines and Minerals Bill, 2025, along with the Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Judicial Officers Welfare Fund Bill, 2025. The chair then adjourned the sitting until 2:00 p.m. on April 7.
The session highlighted the ongoing tensions surrounding security, governance, and the management of provincial resources, as lawmakers from both sides of the aisle called for greater accountability and transparency in dealing with the issues facing KP.
