PESHAWAR:
Responding to the press conference by the army’s top spokesperson, the PTI – which rules the restive Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province – said the blame for terrorism could not be placed on one party alone and the issue of terrorism could only be resolved through dialogue.
PTI leaders Salman Akram Raja, Junaid Akbar, Asad Qaiser and Taimur Jhagra held a joint press conference at the party’s provincial secretariat in Peshawar on Saturday.
The press conference came a day after Inter-Services Public Religions (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told the KP government to work towards protecting the people of the province instead of “begging” the Afghan-led Taliban to provide security.
Speaking to the media, Salman Akram Raja said his party would not respond verbatim to the DG ISPR press conference, not wishing to engage in a confrontation.
“However, the language used against us will cause harm. We oppose all forces that oppose Pakistan, but terrorism cannot be eliminated by military power alone,” the party founder said. [Imran Khan] said the same thing. Balochistan and KP are bleeding.”
Raja claimed that during PTI’s rule at the Centre, terrorist incidents were at their lowest level. Even though former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had ties with the Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), terrorism within the KP has reduced,” he said.
He questioned why Pakistan had distanced itself from the Afghan government. He said Imran had ordered reforms in the province, which was a positive move. “Whenever attempts have been made to push back a political party, violence and bloodshed have followed,” he observed.
Raja recalled that the PML-N-led federal government had itself initiated talks with the TTP in 2022.”[PML-N’s] Rana Sanaullah also spoke about negotiations with the Taliban. We need to find out who brought back these militants in 2021,” he demanded. He said that Pakistan Army is our army and PTI does not oppose it.
“For the love of God, do not make false accusations against us. There must be a comprehensive political strategy to fight terrorism. Where weapons are brandished, action must be taken. We defend the Constitution and the law,” he concluded.
PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar said his party supports dialogue with the Taliban. “Solutions can only be found through talks. This is not Punjab: progress here depends on listening to the people,” he said.
Akbar said the party had full confidence in Imran’s new choice for KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, adding that PTI would ensure his success in the CM election.
He said the party’s parliamentary meeting had decided that 92 members would vote for Sohail Afridi as CM. “All our workers are on his side,” he said confidently.
“Bringing a CM from the erstwhile tribal areas is aimed at ending the deprivations of the tribal people. The hurdles placed during the election of the CM send a wrong message to them,” he warned.
