ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Friday termed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) a “political wing” of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), saying that the party avoids condemning the banned militant outfit.
Addressing a presser in Islamabad alongside Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader Zahid Khan, the minister lambasted the PTI over its stance on the banned TTP, saying that the Imran Khan-founded party leaders “falter when speaking” about the outlawed group and show “leniency towards terrorists”, Geo.tv reported.
His remarks came a day after the PTI denied claims of “non-cooperation” in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the issue of terrorism.
Tarar said terrorism had been effectively eliminated from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the launch of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, adding that the province had since suffered due to “poor governance.” He criticised PTI’s 12-year rule in the province, stating that governance had deteriorated significantly.
The information minister also took a jibe at what he termed “false claims,” referring to a PTI leader’s assertion of having built Lady Reading Hospital, which he dismissed as misleading.
Tarar also drew the development comparison in the KP and other provinces, saying that Punjab’s progress was “visible” to all, while development projects are also underway in Sindh and Balochistan. In contrast, he said KP “lagged behind” in development.
He was of the view that the health and education sectors in the province governed by the PTI are “in a state of decline due to negligence” by the provincial government.
Speaking on the occasion, Zahid Khan said he had never seen a chief minister personally running a political movement, adding that movements are traditionally launched by political parties, not individuals.
He said that former chief minister Pervez Khattak had previously “led attacks” on Islamabad, followed by Ali Amin Gandapur, and claimed that another PTI leader had now adopted the same approach. Reacting to the information minister’s news conference, the PTI categorically rejectied, what it called, the absurd, concocted and politically motivated allegations leveled by Tarar against the party and KP government.
The party also rejected the accusation of facilitating terrorism against the country’s largest political party. It stated that these oft-repeated and reckless attacks on the KP people and their democratically-elected government speak volumes about the Sharif family’s growing frustration, deep-seated panic and visible insecurity in the face of PTI’s rising public support.
The party said, “These press conferences and fabricated allegations are nothing but the desperate cries of a fearful regime, threatened by the KP chief minister’s public outreach and PTI’s ever-growing popularity. The nation is no longer willing to be misled by their outdated and discredited narratives.”
The party emphasised that the KP is the province that has sacrificed the most in the war against terrorism, and even today its people and security forces continue to pay a heavy price. Therefore, accusing the representatives of this terrorism-battered province is disgraceful. It was also stressed that those indulging in this vile propaganda must remember: the enemy is not the one who asks questions—the true enemies are those recklessly playing a dangerous game of sowing division within the federation.
