ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday assailed the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government over a \u201clack of governance\u201d in the province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he alleged that the provincial government was given Rs700 billion under the National Finance Commission for development projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou 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\u2019s districts,\u201d he alleged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, the information minister claimed that the PTI was spending this money on organising protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t even give half an hour to discuss terrorism in the province, but you organise six-hour meetings to spread turmoil and vandalism,\u201d he criticised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tarar further said that the PTI had \u201ctrapped\u201d millions of people in the province to get its leader, former prime minister Imran Khan, released from jail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tarar also alleged that the KP government had held the people of the province \u201ccaptive to terrorists\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFrom the very first day, this is my opinion that they [PTI] are the B-team of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan,\u201d Tarar said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The information minister said that the PTI facilitated terrorists in settling in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor 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?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During his address, Tarar said that the PTI government in KP had dragged the province into the \u201cstone age\u201d during the last 13 and a half years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said that the chief ministers of all the provinces were working hard, questioning how many hours Afridi spent on governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTell 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow long can such a system, where there is chaos and extremist politics, continue?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He claimed that the KP government wanted to hand over the province to terrorists as it prioritised \u201cpersonal interests over the national interests\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis province needs peace, not politics,\u201d Tarar stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked about imposing an emergency or governor\u2019s rule in KP, Tarar said that responding to this question would be premature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEveryone is asking how long KP and its people will remain at the mercy of its government,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn my opinion, the conditions in KP have never been worse. They could not be worse than this. What\u2019s 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,\u201d he claimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said that the people of KP go to Punjab or other provinces for medical treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWill there ever come a time when people from across Pakistan go to KP for treatment?\u201d he asked. The information minister asserted that the PTI would not be allowed to destroy the province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUniversities are shutting down because there are no vice chancellors there. Eighteen out of 34 universities in KP are on the verge of bankruptcy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wali said that people complained about the lack of good roads in Karachi. \u201cBut when people of KP go to Karachi, they say that Karachi\u2019s roads are much better than KP.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Calling on the people and journalists in KP, Wali urged them to talk about the \u201cground realities\u201d, claiming that the people were crying over the existing health facilities in the province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wali also accused KP ministers of corruption and bad governance in the province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe people of KP need peace, health facilities and a political culture based on tolerance, acceptance and respect,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PML-N-led federal government and the KP government led by PTI \u2014 which is in opposition in the Centre \u2014 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s efforts to combat terrorism in the province and objects to its stance on dialogue with the Afghan Taliban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kundi, Muqam discuss KP\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, the two leaders also discussed the PTI\u2019s long march and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, particularly the political environment in the province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kundi and Muqam thanked the people of KP, saying they had rejected the politics of unrest and confrontation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s commitment to ensuring peace and stability in the province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a post on X, Kundi said, \u201cOur people have paid an unbearable price in the war against terrorism. They cannot be held hostage to the politics of anarchy and agitation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He affirmed that the federal government \u201cwill continue to take all possible measures to strengthen security, protect our people and support the province\u2019s development\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe future of KP cannot be sacrificed at the altar of political ambition,\u201d the governor declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis province does not need any more political stunts that undermine security and endanger lives. I commend the people of KP for standing with peace,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s rule in KP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s political situation, the party\u2019s long march and \u201cother important matters\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Gohar said the imposition of governor\u2019s rule or an emergency was not the right solution to the province\u2019s issues, considering the \u201ccircumstances\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PTI chairman said there were no conflicting views on eradicating terrorism, but rather on the method of doing so, which could be resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThose 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\u2019s rule or an emergency, we would welcome it, but this would further deteriorate the situation,\u201d Gohar said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He called on the country\u2019s political leadership to \u201cdemonstrate political wisdom\u201d and said a meeting of either the federal or provincial apex committee should be called if any situation required the imposition of governor\u2019s rule.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday assailed the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government over a \u201clack of governance\u201d 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. \u201cYou did not upgrade the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":134635,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-134634","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n