‘Hours meant for governance spent plotting prisoner’s release’: Tarar lambasts PTI | The Express Tribune

Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) of neglecting governance and prioritising efforts to secure the release of the party’s incarcerated founder over public welfare, development and security.

“The hours that should have been spent on governance have instead been spent plotting to secure the release of a prisoner,” Tarar said at a press conference in Islamabad, attended by Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Information for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Affairs Ikhtiar Wali Khan and K-P MPA Jalal Khan.

Targeting K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Tarar alleged that the provincial leadership had devoted insufficient time to governance despite more than 13 years of PTI rule in the province.

“If you do the calculations, you will find that Sohail Afridi has devoted virtually zero hours to governance,” Tarar said, alleging that the chief minister’s administration had prioritised political agitation over addressing public grievances.

Tarar said the provincial government should have focused on establishing modern IT centres, building universities and schools, upgrading hospitals and improving public infrastructure across the province, including in Lakki Marwat, Mardan, Nowshera and Swabi.

Read: PTI terms proposed emergency in 12 K-P districts violation of 18th Amendment as long march enters seventh day

Comparing the provincial administration’s performance with that of the federal government, Tarar cited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s inauguration of an IT park and the federal fuel subsidy scheme as examples of governance and public relief.

According to Tarar, the IT park would support start-ups, improve digital skills and contribute to economic growth. He also claimed that 10 million people had benefited from the fuel subsidy scheme through an IT-based registration system. He also said the federal government had incorporated public feedback into the subsidy scheme, including changes to eligibility requirements, arguing that the initiative demonstrated the importance of administrative follow-up and responsiveness to citizens.

He alleged that successive PTI governments had undermined K-P’s standing as a peaceful destination and failed to deliver adequate public services.

Tarar accuses PTI of failing to tackle terrorism

Tarar accused the PTI leadership of adopting a soft approach towards the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), alleging that terrorists had been brought back to areas where security forces had previously restored peace through operations, including Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad.

The information minister claimed that the return of militants had contributed to renewed insecurity in parts of the province and accused the provincial leadership of failing to take a sufficiently forceful stand against terrorist groups.

Referring to attacks in Kohat, Hangu and Dera Ismail Khan, Tarar alleged that the provincial government had failed to respond effectively to the security situation.

He also referred to the killing of police personnel and civilians, including a child in an incident at the Aman Mela checkpoint in Dera Ismail Khan, and questioned the provincial leadership’s responsibility for protecting citizens.

Tarar further alleged that the provincial administration had failed to invest adequately in the police and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). He said the government should have strengthened security infrastructure and installed Safe City surveillance cameras, particularly at entry and exit points in the merged tribal districts.

The minister alleged that funds allocated for development and security had instead been spent on political protests and agitation.

Tarar said the people of KP were suffering from poverty, inadequate healthcare, limited educational opportunities and insecurity, which he attributed to the provincial government’s failure to fulfil its responsibilities.

Speaking after Tarar, Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Information for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Affairs Ikhtiar Wali Khan alleged that the PTI government had failed to deliver on its promises of educational development during more than a decade in power.

Wali claimed that at least 18 of the province’s 34 universities were on the verge of bankruptcy and that many institutions were operating without vice chancellors.

He challenged PTI leaders to substantiate their claims about establishing new universities, alleging that one institution cited by a provincial minister had yet to be built despite claims that students were already attending classes.

Wali said he had been carrying documents relating to the project for four months and challenged the minister concerned to debate the matter publicly.

Turning to the merged tribal districts, Wali alleged that little progress had been made in establishing new schools, colleges and police stations since their integration into K-P.

“Dedicated funds had been promised for the development of the former tribal areas at the time of their merger with the province. However, money transferred during the government of former prime minister Imran Khan had been diverted towards other constituencies and political activities instead of being spent in the designated areas,” Wali maintained.

He also alleged that public funds had been used to finance social media operations, claiming that thousands of social media influencers had received monthly payments. Wali did not present independently verified evidence of the alleged expenditure at the press conference.

The PML-N leader also assailed the province’s healthcare system and said it had deteriorated under successive PTI governments and required extensive reform.

He criticised the role of Dr Nausherwan Burki, whom he identified as Imran Khan’s cousin and an influential figure in the province’s healthcare system.

Wali highlighted that financial interests had influenced the approval of medicines and the inclusion of hospitals in the Sehat Card programme.

He claimed that only 20 to 40 hospitals out of approximately 100 were included on the relevant panel, adding that hospitals had been charged “fees for inclusion” and “monthly commissions linked to their profits”.

The PM’s aide also accused the provincial administration of neglecting the police and CTD, alleging that they had been deprived of essential weapons and resources despite federal funds being allocated for counterterrorism.

During the press conference, he alleged that a provincial forests minister had links to the timber mafia and claimed that certain PTI leaders had accumulated substantial business interests while holding public office.

Wali urged the people of K-P to compare the province’s development record with that of other parts of Pakistan. He said residents deserved comparable standards of healthcare, education, infrastructure and security, adding that shortcomings existed across the country but should not be used to justify a lack of progress in K-P.

PM’s Coordinator on Information for K-P Affairs Wali also accused the PTI of exploiting Pakhtun identity for political gains, alleging that the party’s rule had even damaged the province’s political culture.

“The culture of respect has disappeared and now people respond with slurs and offensive language,” Wali said, adding that the party should stop what he described as playing the “Pakhtun card” and concentrate on improving public services and living standards in the province.

Read more: ‘No way back’: Afridi vows to continue PTI long march as convoy reaches Peshawar

“No one needs their certification to identify as a Pakhtun,” he remarked.

He urged the K-P government to focus on the province’s development rather than political confrontation, calling for the reopening of Malam Jabba and the BRT system. Wali also alleged that a Rs200 billion Peshawar revitalisation project had been lost to corruption.

In strongly worded remarks, Wali alleged that PTI’s agenda was aligned with that of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), the Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA), the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other banned organisations.

“These are your military wings,” Wali said, accusing PTI of maintaining links with groups he described as hostile to the state. He did not substantiate the allegation with evidence at the press conference.

Wali called for accountability within PTI and urged the public to question their elected representatives over “persistent corruption”.

He also referred to PTI as “Fitna Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” and vowed to remove terrorism and its facilitators from the province.

Referring to recent allegations by CM Sohail Afridi on abductions of provincial lawmakers, Wali stated that PTI ministers hid on their own and claimed to be abducted by unidentified individuals.

He asked the people to question the PTI leaders as to why they are able to move freely in areas affected by terrorism in Sindh and elsewhere in the country while the rest of the people have been terrorised by these groups.

“Is their DNA the same?” he asked, questioning what he portrayed as differences in the treatment of PTI leaders across regions.

Jalal Khan questions use of counterterrorism funds

K-P MPA Jalal Khan questioned the provincial government’s claims that it lacked resources to combat terrorism, asking why funds were not being used to strengthen the police and other law enforcement agencies.

“They claim they do not have funds to counter terrorism but they have Rs200 billion in funds to beautify Peshawar?” Jalal Khan asked. He also questioned the utilisation of Rs800 billion that he said the province had received from the federal government to combat terrorism.

Jalal Khan asked why the money had not been used to improve the capacity, equipment and operational readiness of the police and other security institutions.

He said he had not received police security clearance for a meeting in Kohat, while PTI leaders were able to move around the area without fear.

Jalal Khan alleged that whenever the provincial government was questioned about governance or security, its leaders redirected the discussion towards the incarcerated PTI founder, whom he referred to as “prisoner 420”.

“We will rescue the province from these people,” he concluded.

Tarar declines to give verdict on governor’s rule

During the question-and-answer session, Tarar was asked whether governor’s rule or an emergency should be imposed in K-P.

He said he could not give a definitive assessment of the matter.

However, Tarar strongly criticised the provincial government’s performance, saying the province had suffered a significant decline under successive PTI administrations.

“K-P has never fared worse than this. Every department has collapsed during the 13 years of their reign,” Tarar said.

The information minister alleged that PTI had prioritised securing the release of its founder over the welfare of the people, arguing that the provincial leadership had failed to address persistent security and development challenges.

Comparing the situation in K-P with that in Balochistan, Tarar said the latter was confronting terrorism collectively, whereas the PTI leadership in K-P remained preoccupied with its political objectives.

He also accused PTI of repeatedly violating court orders and alleged that violence had “always” accompanied the party’s protests.

Towards the end of the press conference, Wali also criticised the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, alleging that it supported the concept of a greater Pakhtunistan and did not recognise the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, referring to it instead as the Durand Line.

Wali said he did not support the movement because of what he described as its anti-Pakistan approach.