ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Friday accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of facilitating terrorists, alleging that the provincial administration was reluctant to take action against militants.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Tarar claimed that all political parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had faced attacks by terrorists, but alleged that PTI was the “terrorists’ favourite” political party.
He accused the PTI of avoiding condemnation of terrorist groups and being reluctant to take action against militants.
Tarar described the PTI as the “B team” of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the “C team” of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA), alleging that facilitating terrorists had been part of the party’s policy.
The minister urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to refrain from what he described as facilitating terrorists and focus on improving the law and order situation in the province.
He also criticised KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, saying the chief minister appeared “less like a chief minister and more like a TTP commander”. Tarar alleged that Afridi was unwilling to take effective measures to improve law and order.
The information minister said maintaining law and order was the responsibility of the provincial government, while security forces were conducting operations against militants and working to eliminate terrorism.
Referring to incidents along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Tarar alleged that Afghanistan had fired into Pakistan in Kurram but said the KP chief minister had not condemned the incident.
He criticised what he described as a lack of condemnation, calling it cowardice.
Tarar also criticised the PTI’s planned protest and long march, claiming that the party had made no preparations for a sit-in.
“Have the courage, come and hold the long march,” he said, alleging that the PTI had backed away from its planned protest.
The minister further accused the PTI of attempting to turn the police into a political force and alleged that the KP government was involved in illegal contracts.
He said people in the province had been left helpless and urged the provincial administration to focus on maintaining law and order and protecting citizens.
According to Tarar, 2,456 terrorist attacks were reported across the country over the past year, averaging nearly 10 attacks a day.
He said 472 personnel of the police, Rangers, Frontier Constabulary and armed forces were martyred in the attacks, while more than 1,500 others were injured.
The allegations made by the information minister were political claims and were not independently established in his remarks.
