Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has said that the chapter of PTI’s government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been closed and there will be no negotiations with the party on this matter. However, he said the government remains willing to hold talks with PTI on other issues.
Speaking to a private television channel, Tarar said PTI leaders had lost all credibility, asking, “Who would trust them?”
He said the performance of any government should be judged by the public through their votes in elections, adding that without a public mandate, no government could establish effective communication with the people.
Criticising the performance of PTI’s previous governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the federal minister said no substantial work had been done for public welfare during the party’s 13-and-a-half years in power. He said neither adequate hospitals had been built nor sufficient attention had been given to establishing and developing good universities.
Tarar said the Kohat Tunnel had been built during Nawaz Sharif’s tenure, but no significant development work had taken place in the area since then.
He said Awami National Party leaders and workers had made major sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Amir Muqam had also survived six terrorist attacks.
He added that other political parties had also been affected by terrorist attacks during previous elections, with their leaders and workers being targeted.
According to the federal minister, the federal government and security forces had jointly eliminated terrorism between 2013 and 2017. However, he claimed that around 25,000 terrorists were brought back during Imran Khan’s tenure.
Tarar alleged that following their return, prison gates were opened and the returning individuals were welcomed.
He said the war against terrorism could be fought with full force and 100 per cent commitment but required effective measures.
The information minister said an effective vehicle and motorcycle registration system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could have helped prevent terrorism.
According to him, vehicle registration could also have generated hundreds of billions of rupees in revenue, which could have been spent on public welfare and provincial development.
Tarar reiterated that the matter concerning the government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was closed and no further negotiations would be held on it. However, he said the doors remained open for dialogue with PTI on other political issues.
He added that the public should ultimately decide the performance of governments by expressing their opinion through votes in elections.
Also Read: Atta Tarar accuses PTI over its double faced game on terrorism
