Bannu Jail storming: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa suspends top officials, forms probe committee

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Monday suspended four senior officials including Inspector General (IG) Prisons, Commissioner Bannu, DIG Bannu and Superintendent Central Jail Bannu and constituted a four-member committee to probe the jail storming incident.
Addressing a news conference, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information, Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that the committee had been directed to complete its investigation within 15 days and submit its report to the government. He said the report would be made public.
The committee comprising Dr Ihsan-ul-Haq, Mohammad Mushtaq Jadoon, Syed Alamgir Shah and Additional IG investigation would not only investigate the Bannu Jail storming incident, but also suggest measures to avert such incidents in future, he added. Hussain said that after identification, the real culprits behind the incident would be given exemplary punishment.
Regarding security lapse, he said that the committee would investigate the matter from all aspects and will thoroughly check the involvement of any government official in the incident. The provincial minister said that stern action would be taken against those who challenged its writ, adding that people would be provided full security.
He maintained that hard times had been gone and law and order situation had been improved in the province. The desperate attempts, he said, could not shake the resolve of the government to refrain from taking action against terrorists and militants.
He dispelled the impression that there was any kind of lapse on behalf of the government, saying that it was extending full co-operation to district administrations across the province. To a question he said that 21 condemned prisoners had escaped from the jail. Secretary Home Azam Khan said that not a single inmate detained under Anti-Terrorist Act (ATA) was escaped.
Speaking on the occasion, the Secretary Home expressed grave concern over illegal use of mobile and laptop in jails, saying that the provincial government has time and again written to the federal government for installation of jammers at jails but the matter is still pending with the federal government.
He added that Home Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had budget for installation of jammers but the PTA was not giving permission in this regard. He said that out of the total 380 escaped prisoners 66 have returned. He said that the Frontier Constabulary was formed with the prime responsibility to secure the boundaries between the tribal and settled areas, but it has been deployed in Islamabad and other areas and performing other different task.
Azam Khan said that the provincial government was engaged in talks with Federal Interior Ministry to ensure the return the FC personnel to their respective areas to perform their actual duties. Mian Iftikhar said confirmed that some Afghan nationals detained in the facility have been escaped. However, he said that they were sentenced for minor crimes.