The federal informaiton minister accuses KP government of facilitating militants
ISLAMABAD (LAHORE MIRROR) — Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar on Friday claimed that backchannel contacts with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) were ongoing, while accusing the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of failing to take adequate measures against militancy.
Mr Tarar made the remarks while speaking to journalist Farrukh Warraich during an AIK News programme, where he also levelled a series of allegations against the PTI and KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
The minister claimed that the government remained committed to protecting citizens and that the security situation was currently under its control.
He accused the PTI of being a “B team” of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and a “C team” of the Afghan Taliban, and said Mr Afridi appeared “more like a TTP commander than a chief minister”.
Mr Tarar further alleged that PTI leaders and the provincial government were linked to militants and accused them of facilitating terrorist groups. He called on the KP government to refrain from what he described as the facilitation of terrorists.
The minister also alleged that illegal timber and tobacco trade was taking place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and claimed that political figures were involved in illegal gold mining and contracts, which he alleged were being used to provide financial support to militants.
He said the government could not tolerate a situation in which a provincial administration allegedly failed to prevent terrorism while civilians continued to lose their lives.
Referring to recent security incidents, Mr Tarar said that when drones allegedly came from Afghanistan, the security forces confronted the militants. He praised the forces for their role in combating terrorism and referred to an injured resident of Hangu who, according to him, had expressed his determination to fight militants after recovering from his injuries.
Mr Tarar said the public and security forces were fully mobilised to eliminate terrorism and that the country as a whole was continuing to pay a heavy price in the fight against militancy.
He also criticised PTI protests, alleging that the party’s demonstrations were often organised in groups that caused destruction, while describing Jamaat-i-Islami workers as comparatively peaceful protesters.
The minister said the law should be applied equally to everyone and urged the PTI to “come to its senses” and work in the interest of the country’s integrity.
The PTI and the KP government have not been given an opportunity to respond to the allegations in the remarks cited above.
