ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Monday, Sept. 28, called on the PTI to clarify its position on Pakistan and Afghanistan as deadly terrorist attacks continue across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, accusing the PTI-led provincial government of failing to take stronger action against terrorism.
Speaking at a conference in Islamabad with Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, Tarar said the provincial government had not taken ownership of counterterrorism efforts and had failed to respond adequately to the worsening security situation.
Tarar also accused the PTI of maintaining a soft position toward Afghanistan and alleged that the party had facilitated militants. Earlier this month, Tarar made similar statement against the KP government, while Pakistan has also reported militant networks operating from Afghan territory for attacks inside the country.
“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is burning in the fire of terrorism,” Tarar said, arguing that more than 12 years of PTI-led provincial rule should have produced stronger improvements in security and public services.
He said the federal government had offered modern vehicles to the KP police but claimed the provincial government rejected them. Tarar also questioned how funds allocated to KP through the National Finance Commission Award were being used for counterterrorism efforts.
The remarks came after a series of deadly attacks in the province. On Sept. 26, at least 13 people were killed when a suicide bomber drove an explosives-filled vehicle into a joint police and customs checkpoint in the Darazanda area of Dera Ismail Khan. The victims included women and a child, while dozens of others were injured.
A week earlier, an attack on a mosque inside Kohat Police Lines killed 22 people, including 16 police officials, and injured 103 others, according to local officials. Security forces later conducted an overnight operation at the site.
Talal Chaudhry questioned the KP government's approach to Afghanistan and counterterrorism, saying attacks against Pakistan should not be described as religious warfare. He also criticized changes to provincial police laws and claimed the KP government had declined to participate in federal meetings on counterterrorism.
The federal government has separately accused militant groups of using Afghan territory to launch attacks against Pakistan. Pakistan also said last week that it carried out strikes against 10 locations in Afghanistan after what it described as drone attacks from Afghan territory. The growing dispute comes as security tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to rise.
