Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar has questioned PTI’s position on consultations and joint action against terrorism, questioning the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s approach to counterterrorism.
Atta Tarar said PTI’s lame and old excuse that all parties should have been consulted has outlived its relevance over the past three years. He said the federal government did exactly that, but PTI never responded to its proposals on security and other core issues.
He said it was only now, when the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is politically vulnerable and shaky, that PTI has started responding to the federal government’s calls for a joint stance to fight terrorism, adding that this too is only a strategy to save its political capital in KP. He said PTI’s own spokesperson is denying it and giving justifications in favour of terrorists.
He said double faced standards and hypocrisy seem to be PTI’s policy when it claims that the PTI-led KP government has been taking steps to counter terrorism and is serious about the matter. On the contrary, he said, PTI’s narrative on terrorism is in favour of terrorists.
He remarked that the KP government’s policy only encourages and supports the spread of terrorism in the province.
Atta Tarar raised multiple questions, asking why the KP government does not attend Federal Apex Committee meetings and why it does not hold its own Apex Committee meetings to review terrorism, as other provinces do.
He also objected why the Chief Minister and his cabinet do not condemn the TTA regime for sponsoring terrorism inside Pakistan, as well as its cross-border attacks on posts and drone attacks.
He questioned whether the KP government has ever shown appropriate support for the Armed Forces and police personnel who have laid down thousands of lives fighting terrorism in KP. He also questioned why the KP government has not implemented the National Action Plan, under which clear action is required against the illegal spectrum, illegal Afghan immigrants, and measures to enhance the capacity of the police and Counter Terrorism Department.
Atta Tarar further asked why PTI remain absent from the funerals of martyrs or visit security forces and police posts to show their soladirity. He also questioned how many times they had visited the erstwhile FATA areas and taken an interest in their governance and development issues.
He asked why the KP government remains silent when the Afghan Taliban regime, in support of terrorism in KP, sends drones and Tashkeels. He further questioned how many times PTI leaders have stood shoulder to shoulder with Frontier Corps soldiers standing guard along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border against terrorists.
“Please give some answers before ranting confusion and useless rhetoric only,” he said.
Atta Tarar said this is an old game of PTI that when under pressure, it starts talking about consultations and joint actions but on the ground does the exact opposite.
He said that owing to the non-implementation of the National Action Plan by the KP government, not only has terrorism thrived in KP but its economy has also been badly shattered, for which only PTI is responsible.
“So, stop selling this old falsenarrative of collective consultations, jirgas or any other method as this means nothing on ground other than delaying tactics,” he said.
“This time the State won’t let you befool and confuse people by your old age rhetoric and verbose that has already brought KPK to the brink of collapse. No More!!!!” he said.
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