ISLAMABAD – Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has demanded answers from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on its counterterrorism record and governance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, raising eight pointed questions in a statement posted on X.
Asif said PTI had repeatedly claimed it was not permitted to formulate a policy against terrorism, a contention he said compelled him to seek clarification on the party’s stance and performance.
Questions Target PTI’s Security Record
The defence minister asked who had prevented PTI from formulating a counterterrorism policy when it had governed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for 13 years and had also held power at the federal level.
He further questioned which policy had stopped the party from implementing the National Action Plan and convening Apex Committee meetings.
Asif asked what policy was needed to call terrorists terrorists, to condemn terrorists coming from Afghanistan, and to openly stand with the armed forces against attacks on military personnel and civilians.
Cross-Border Attacks and Afghan Regime
The defence minister questioned why the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had not openly condemned recent drone attacks launched from Afghanistan in Kohat, asking what policy had prevented it from doing so.
He asked how many times the provincial government had protested or condemned alleged cross-border violations by naming the Afghan regime, including firing on Pakistani security posts and troops, infiltration, and direct or indirect support to terrorists.
Illegal Economies and Corruption Allegations
Addressing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Asif asked what practical steps had been taken over the past 13 years to eliminate illegal economic activities allegedly supporting terrorism in the province, including extortion, smuggling and the trade in non-customs-paid vehicles.
His sixth question concerned the security forces fighting terrorism. Asif asked how many times Afridi had visited security personnel at their posts to express solidarity, and how often he had visited victims of terrorism in the province to offer support to affected families.
Asif also questioned why the provincial government, in his assessment, confused the state’s narrative against terrorism through different tactics, and why it did not refer to and condemn militants as “Khawarij.”
In his eighth point, the defence minister alleged that corruption had been promoted during 13 years of PTI rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and accused the provincial leadership of misusing public resources.
He cited allegations made by PTI members against one another on social media, as well as an allegation by a woman member of the National Assembly regarding the alleged embezzlement of party funds received from abroad, and asked the party to respond.
