ISLAMABAD(National Times)- The government and PTI traded accusations on Thursday over governance and the deteriorating security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as federal ministers continued to blame the provincial government for allegedly failing to combat terrorism, and focusing instead on the party’s long march, while the opposition accused the Centre of scapegoating KP for the consequences of “flawed federal policies”.
The PTI also asked the federal government to rein in its ministers if it was genuinely serious about negotiating a settlement to the ongoing political impasse, saying daily press conferences, “provocative statements” and “non-sensical rhetoric” were creating an atmosphere of confrontation and undermining the prospects of meaningful dialogue.
PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said the government could not simultaneously call for negotiations and “allow its cronies” to appear before the media every day to “spew venom” against PTI leadership and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.
He said that the government should demonstrate its seriousness about dialogue by accepting PTI’s straightforward demands.
He also rejected attempts to place the responsibility for widespread terrorism on the KP government or Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani on Thursday expressed serious concerns over the sharp rise in terrorist incidents in KP, insisting that the province had increasingly turned into a war zone while alleging that the provincial government was failing to play its due role in combating terrorism, APP reported.
Kashmir Affairs Minister Amir Muqam on Thursday urged the KP government to focus on resolving public issues instead of pursuing a protest march.
He said terrorist attacks continued in the province while the provincial leadership was busy with political activities.
Referring to PTI’s protest march, the minister said its route kept changing while people in KP continued to face difficulties due to blocked routes.
