ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday assailed the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government over a “lack of governance” in the province.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he alleged that the provincial government was given Rs700 billion under the National Finance Commission for development projects.
“You did not upgrade the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), did not establish forensic labs, did not install safe city cameras, which should be installed in the merged districts and all the entry-exit points of KP’s districts,” he alleged.
On the other hand, the information minister claimed that the PTI was spending this money on organising protests.
“You don’t even give half an hour to discuss terrorism in the province, but you organise six-hour meetings to spread turmoil and vandalism,” he criticised.
Tarar further said that the PTI had “trapped” millions of people in the province to get its leader, former prime minister Imran Khan, released from jail.
“You trapped them in poverty, in disease by not providing the adequate health facilities, in ignorance by not providing educational opportunities, and in non-development by not improving infrastructure,” he said.
Tarar also alleged that the KP government had held the people of the province “captive to terrorists”.
“From the very first day, this is my opinion that they [PTI] are the B-team of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan,” Tarar said.
The information minister said that the PTI facilitated terrorists in settling in the country.
“For how long will it go on? That the security forces will clear the area of terrorists and establish peace, but you will bring the terrorists back?” he asked.
During his address, Tarar said that the PTI government in KP had dragged the province into the “stone age” during the last 13 and a half years.
Citing various federal government projects, Tarar maintained that there was no comparison of the hours spent working by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to address governance issues and take relief and reform measures.
He said that the chief ministers of all the provinces were working hard, questioning how many hours Afridi spent on governance.
“Tell us if you have ever given a big hospital, a university, a highway to your people, an information technology project to the youth of KP or given them laptops or gadgets,” he said.
“How long can such a system, where there is chaos and extremist politics, continue?” he asked.
He claimed that the KP government wanted to hand over the province to terrorists as it prioritised “personal interests over the national interests”.
“This province needs peace, not politics,” Tarar stated.
Asked about imposing an emergency or governor’s rule in KP, Tarar said that responding to this question would be premature.
“Everyone is asking how long KP and its people will remain at the mercy of its government,” he said.
“In my opinion, the conditions in KP have never been worse. They could not be worse than this. What’s worse than terrorists roaming in the streets? You have designated no-go areas in most of your districts because you collect ransom in collusion with terrorists,” he claimed.
He said that the people of KP go to Punjab or other provinces for medical treatment.
“Will there ever come a time when people from across Pakistan go to KP for treatment?” he asked. The information minister asserted that the PTI would not be allowed to destroy the province.
Addressing the same press conference, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Information for KP Affairs Ikhtiar Wali Khan also questioned the lack of development in the province.
“Universities are shutting down because there are no vice chancellors there. Eighteen out of 34 universities in KP are on the verge of bankruptcy,” he said.
Wali said that people complained about the lack of good roads in Karachi. “But when people of KP go to Karachi, they say that Karachi’s roads are much better than KP.”
Calling on the people and journalists in KP, Wali urged them to talk about the “ground realities”, claiming that the people were crying over the existing health facilities in the province.
He referred to the KP police as the shuhada force, alleging that the provincial government had left them unarmed. He alleged that the PTI government had seized the money allocated to fund the CTD to combat terrorism.
Wali also accused KP ministers of corruption and bad governance in the province.
“The people of KP need peace, health facilities and a political culture based on tolerance, acceptance and respect,” he said.
The PML-N-led federal government and the KP government led by PTI — which is in opposition in the Centre — have been at odds over various issues, particularly on the counterterrorism policy. This was also a key reason behind the breakdown of the Oct 3 talks between them.
The PTI has said it was being left out of security decisions concerning KP, which the Centre has denied. It also calls for reviewing the counterterrorism policy, while the latter criticises the KP government’s efforts to combat terrorism in the province and objects to its stance on dialogue with the Afghan Taliban.
Kundi, Muqam discuss KP’s security and political situation
In Peshawar, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Amir Muqam met KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi at Governor House, where they discussed the overall law and order situation in the province.
According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, the two leaders also discussed the PTI’s long march and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, particularly the political environment in the province.
Kundi and Muqam thanked the people of KP, saying they had rejected the politics of unrest and confrontation.
They reiterated that the federal government would continue taking all possible measures to restore lasting peace, strengthen security and accelerate public welfare and development in the province.
The two leaders also observed that the people of KP had grown frustrated with terrorism and what they described as political elements promoting instability, reaffirming the federal government’s commitment to ensuring peace and stability in the province.
In a post on X, Kundi said, “Our people have paid an unbearable price in the war against terrorism. They cannot be held hostage to the politics of anarchy and agitation.”
He affirmed that the federal government “will continue to take all possible measures to strengthen security, protect our people and support the province’s development”.
“The future of KP cannot be sacrificed at the altar of political ambition,” the governor declared.
“This province does not need any more political stunts that undermine security and endanger lives. I commend the people of KP for standing with peace,” he wrote.
In recent days, federal ministers have assailed the PTI for staging a protest long march, which it has been warned against, at a time when KP faces security challenges. They have also linked differences over the counterterrorism policy with the possibility of an emergency or governor’s rule in KP.
On Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the government had finished deliberating on the imposition of an emergency and warned that it would avail the option if the KP government did not cooperate on counterterrorism.
Gohar meets CM Afridi
On the other hand, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said on X that he met CM Afridi in Peshawar to discuss the country’s political situation, the party’s long march and “other important matters”.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, MNA Junaid Akbar, Parliamentary Leader Shahid Kattak and KP Information Minister Shafi Jani were also present during the meeting.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Gohar said the imposition of governor’s rule or an emergency was not the right solution to the province’s issues, considering the “circumstances”.
The PTI chairman said there were no conflicting views on eradicating terrorism, but rather on the method of doing so, which could be resolved.
“Those who have taken up swords against the state [and[ those who are enemies of the state are our enemies; if they can be eradicated by imposing governor’s rule or an emergency, we would welcome it, but this would further deteriorate the situation,” Gohar said.
He called on the country’s political leadership to “demonstrate political wisdom” and said a meeting of either the federal or provincial apex committee should be called if any situation required the imposition of governor’s rule.
