Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has firmly stated that the province will no longer allow the presence of so-called “Good Taliban.” He made this announcement during the All Parties Conference (APC) held in Peshawar, where he addressed growing concerns about regional security and federal policies.
Gandapur admitted that the “Good Taliban” had existed in the past but emphasized that their time was over. He warned that anyone seen carrying weapons under the banner of any institution, whether alone or in a group, would face strict action. According to him, there is now zero tolerance for armed militants in the province.
Criticizing past military operations, the chief minister said they failed to bring peace and instead caused damage to the people and infrastructure of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He also rejected the idea of allowing any future military operations without the province’s consent, saying such moves only lead to more instability.
Gandapur strongly opposed drone strikes, especially those targeting civilian areas, arguing that they caused the deaths of innocent people and must be stopped. He accused some state institutions of previously supporting extremist elements under the “Good Taliban” label, but declared that such support would no longer be tolerated.
To improve local security, the APC decided to recruit 300 local residents into the police force in each tribal district. Additionally, Gandapur stressed that border security is the duty of the federal government, but warned that if the centre fails, the province will act independently using its own forces.
Furthermore, Gandapur demanded full control over the province’s mineral resources and rejected the imposition of federal taxes in tribal areas. He firmly stated that no federal force will be allowed to operate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa without first taking the provincial government into confidence.