Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar launched a blistering attack on Saturday, alleging that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is actively obstructing peace by colluding with terrorists and smuggling networks for financial gain.
Speaking to the media, the minister asserted that certain elements within the province are creating significant obstacles to establishing lasting security. He contrasted this with the historic efforts of the nation’s security forces. “The Pakistan Army has rendered unmatched sacrifices in the war against terrorism, and their contribution to ensuring the country’s security will always be remembered,” Tarar remarked.
He highlighted the nation’s unified stance against extremism under the National Action Plan (NAP), which led to the successful defeat of terrorists. However, Tarar drew a sharp contrast with the previous government’s tenure, claiming terrorist incidents occurred almost daily and alleging that the PTI founder and his party consistently supported extremists on every platform.
The information minister leveled specific accusations against the provincial administration, claiming it fosters an environment of illegal trade and a thriving undocumented economy. “Some people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are standing in the way of peace,” he stated, pointing to the smuggling of non-custom-paid vehicles, fuel, grains, and narcotics.
Tarar described this situation as a deliberate partnership between terrorist elements and the PTI-led provincial government. “This smuggling network represents collusion between terrorists and the PTI-led provincial government, motivated by financial gain,” he claimed, adding that the party’s provincial leadership is also linked to timber, drug, and narcotics mafias.
He concluded by noting that a crackdown has been initiated as part of ongoing economic reforms to dismantle these illicit networks. “The rise of terrorism is tied to black money – it is this illicit funding that sustains and strengthens these terrorist elements,” the minister affirmed.