Khawaja Asif probes PTI on terrorist policy, asks eight questions

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has asked the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to answer eight questions on its attitude and policies on terrorism and security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Asif stated in a statement on X, PTI has often times claimed that they were not allowed to create a policy against terrorism. He claimed the claim prompted him to ask the party eight basic questions.

Asif questioned who had stopped PTI from adopting a counter-terrorism policy during its 13-year rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its tenure in power at the federal level. He also questioned whatever policy had prevented the party from adopting the National Action Plan and holding Apex Committee sessions.

He asked what policy was required to brand terrorists terrorists, condemn terrorists coming from Afghanistan, and openly stand with the armed forces against attacks on the military and civilians.

The defence minister also questioned as to why the KP government had not explicitly condemned the recent drone assaults from Afghanistan in Kohat and what policy stood in the way of it.

Asif also asked how many times the KP government had complained or condemned by name the Afghan regime, alleged cross-border violations, fire on Pakistani security stations and troops, infiltration and direct or indirect support to terrorists.

Asif questioned KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi about the practical efforts that were taken in the last 13 years to eliminate the unlawful economic activities which allegedly helped terrorists in the province, including extortion, smuggling and the trade in non-customs-paid automobiles.

His sixth inquiry was on security forces combating terrorism. Asif enquired how many times Afridi had visited security forces at their positions to show solidarity and how many times he had visited victims of terrorism in KP to support the affected families.

Asif also asked as to why the KP administration distorted the state’s narrative against terrorism by varied techniques, as per him, and why it did not refer to and condemn terrorists as “Khawarij”.

In his eighth point, the defence minister stated that throughout 13 years of PTI government in KP, corruption had been pushed and accused the provincial leadership of squandering public resources. He alluded to charges by PTI members against each other on social media and an allegation by a lady member of the National Assembly about alleged misappropriation of party finances received from outside and asked the party to answer.