Residents in Peshawar area remain under constant security threat

PESHAWAR: The rising number of street crime cases have left residents of Hayatabad agitated as their security is at stake despite paying an amount for the purpose, under the Safe Hayatabad Project.

While talking to Geo News, locals said they do not want such hollow projects that promise but do not deliver. They added the Safe Hayatabad Project has not borne any fruit.

The police personnel patrol the area and guards have also been deployed. Even 150 personnel were given motorbikes and cars, but to no avail. No measure has guaranteed security of the residents of Hayatabad.  

"The vehicles merely take rounds of the area," a local complained.

The project was inaugurated by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak in November 2016. However, four months on, neither have proper security been provided to the locals, not have scanners and CCTV cameras been installed as per the plan.

The security of Hayatabad is crucial more so because it is located close to Khyber Agency, that falls under the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, where terrorist activities are rampant.

A few days back two officials of the Frontier Constabulary were martyred in an attempted terrorist attack on an FC checkpost in Khyber Agency. However, six terrorists were killed in retaliatory fire by FC soldiers, according to Inter Services Public Relations.

Besides, terrorists were found and killed in Rajgal area of Tirah Valley in the agency in February. Pakistan Air Force carried out an operation in the area where several terrorists were killed, ISPR stated.

The security sources said the operation conducted in Tirah Valley killed five terrorists, injured several and destroyed three militant hideouts.