- PTI founder termed chief sponsor of terrorists.
- Tarar says Pakistan’s policy made in Islamabad.
- Ikhtiyar Wali blames KP chaos on misgovernance.
Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has strongly criticised the removal of Ali Amin Gandapur as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister and the nomination of Sohail Khan Afridi as his successor, insisting the move reflects the PTI’s soft corner for terrorists.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s firebrand leader Gandapur stepped down as KP chief minister, hours after the party’s Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja confirmed Afridi’s nomination for the post a day ago.
Raja, in his statement, claimed that his party was preparing to announce a “new policy and a fresh beginning” as the province was hit by an alarming wave of terrorism.
He said the KP government had been advised to distance itself from what he called “the federal government’s flawed policies,” especially those concerning the expulsion of Afghan citizens.
Reacting to the top-level change in KP, Tarar, during a press conference alongside PML-N leader Ikhtiyar Wali, claimed that the PTI had previously complained that Gandapur failed to fully facilitate terrorist elements.
He also alleged that the PTI has now chosen someone who holds sympathies for extremists.
“The nation’s sacrifices will go in vain if such a person is made chief minister,” Tarar said, adding that the PTI founder Imran Khan, sitting in jail, is the chief sponsor of terrorists. He further alleged that Afridi faces multiple criminal cases and is a “criminal-minded individual”.
The information minister asserted that Pakistan’s security policy will be made in Islamabad, not Kabul, vowing that Pakistan will remain strong and eternal.
His statement came after a deadly terrorist attack on the security forces in KP’s Orakzai district in which two army officers and nine soldiers embraced martyrdom during an intelligence-based operation against Indian-backed terrorists.
During the operation, 19 terrorists were also eliminated after effective engagement by troops, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Tarar also welcomed the London court’s verdict, saying it discredited PTI’s false narrative and exposed the party’s supporters abroad. He added that no one sitting overseas has the right to speak against Pakistan after the ruling.
Meanwhile, PML-N leader Wali said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is collapsing due to terrorism and misgovernance, blaming PTI for political instability and internal disputes.
He claimed that Gandapur was removed after clashes with Bushra Bibi and Aleema Khan over financial shares, and that provincial appointments were being sold for hefty sums on one-year terms.
Wali added that PTI’s social media wing dictates party policy, calling the group “divisive and irresponsible”. He said the PTI founder’s popularity has turned into infamy, urging political parties to stop exploiting sensitive issues for personal or political gain.
It is pertinent to mention here that Gandapur’s resignation has not been ratified by KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi so far as the latter said that the relevant document was received by his office.
Speaking on Geo News’ morning programme “Geo Pakistan” today, Kundi also announced that the resignation may be returned if any constitutional or legal ambiguity is found in it, assuring that all procedures would be followed in accordance with the law.
