ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The Federal Information Minister, Atta Tarar, has criticized Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for its approach to holding discussions with the federal government, alleging the party was playing politics with talks and also questioning the performance of its government in KPK.
Tarar has refuted the PTI demand for more consultations on counterterrorism measures in a detailed statement, stating that the federal government had repeatedly requested the provincial government’s cooperation in the last three years.
He claimed the KP government led by PTI was too politically weak to attend to the demand for establishing a joint mechanism against terrorism.
Tarar also claimed that PTI was having “double standards” on the issue of terrorism as the policies of the provincial government had not brought clarity on the stand against the militant outfits.
The federal minister asked about the reasons behind the failure of the KP government to hold its own Apex Committee meeting to examine the province’s security situation, and its non-attendance at the federal Apex Committee meetings.
He further wondered if the chief minister and provincial cabinet had ever condemned the Afghan Taliban administration in public for its alleged support for terrorism and attacks across the border.
Tarar also questioned the KP government on the reasons for its failure to fully implement the National Action Plan (NAP), specifically on issues related to illegal activities, undocumented Afghan nationals, training of police and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), and other counterterrorism measures.
The minister also wondered whether PTI leaders attended funerals of security forces who were martyred in the wake of terrorist incidents or how often the provincial leadership had visited police and security posts to convey their solidarity with the personnel deployed in the province.
Tarar also took the KP government to task for not commenting on the attacks and drone activity from across the border, and asked the provincial leaders about their visits to the border areas with Pakistan as well as about their presence with FC personnel in those areas.
He said that PTI had time and again resorted to demands of consultation and joint mechanisms and jirgas as delaying tactics when the party faced political pressure.
The alleged non-implementation of the National Action Plan has not only aggravated the security situation in KP but also hurt the provincial economy, said Tarar.
The federal minister urged PTI to provide answers to the questions raised by the government instead of relying on what he termed “confusion and rhetoric.”
Tarar concluded by warning that the state would not allow what he described as PTI’s “old rhetoric” to create further confusion over the issue of terrorism and security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
