PESHAWAR: With the ugly head of militancy rearing its head, the impact was most felt in the country’s north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which resulted in 120 police personnel losing their lives with another 120 injured.

Additional Inspector General Operations Muhammad Ali Babakhel revealed the troubling statistics at a press conference at the Centre Police Office Peshawar.

The situation in the province came to a head after the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan called off the tenuous ceasefire agreement with the government of Pakistan. It resulted in an increase in frequency and brazenness of attacks targeting law enforcement.

After militant attacks, those from organized crime posed the greatest threat to the law and order situation in the province that now includes the tribal districts.

Babakhel reveal that while the US exited Afghanistan last year, it left behind ammunition worth $7 billion. “This high tech military weaponry is now being used in terrorism activtiies,” he said suggesting that the local police was ill-equipped to deal with the threat. “The police department has asked the provincial government to provide the latest weaponry.”

Another major concern has been the rise in extortion cases, with concerns that the crime remains under-reported.

Babakhel said that 81 extortion cases were registered in 2022, in which 158 arrests were made.

“The origin of extortion is from the neighbouring country, with 99% of extortion calls made from there,” Babakher said without naming Afghanistan.

Quoting figures provided by the Counter-Terrorism Department, Babakhel said 806 ‘terrorists’ were arrested in the year. “Another 96 terrorists were killed in encounters.” A hugh quantity of guns and explosives were seized during these operations.

More than 20,000 ‘search-and-strike’ operations were conducted as part of the National Action plan. The police seized around 20,000 weapons and lodged 763 first information reports.

He said 1,209 people were arrested for illegal use of loudspeakers.

For the coming year, the AIG said that the police would focus on target killings, extortion, and suicide attacks.