Khawaja Asif questions PTI’s record on counterterrorism, cross-border attacks and security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has posed eight questions to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), challenging the party to explain its stance and actions regarding terrorism and security policy during its years in power.
In a post on X, Khawaja Asif rejected PTI’s claim that it was not allowed to formulate a policy against terrorism, questioning what had prevented the party from taking concrete measures during its tenure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and at the federal level.
The defence minister asked why the PTI government did not fully implement the National Action Plan or regularly convene apex committee meetings if it had the authority to take decisions on counterterrorism.
He also questioned why the party needed any specific “policy” to condemn terrorists, denounce attacks allegedly originating from Afghanistan and publicly support Pakistan’s armed forces and citizens against militant violence.
Referring to recent alleged drone attacks from Afghanistan in Kohat, Asif asked why the PTI-led provincial government had not openly condemned the attacks.
He further questioned how many times the PTI had formally protested against or condemned cross-border violations, including firing on Pakistani security posts, attacks on troops, infiltration and alleged support for militants from Afghan territory.
The minister also asked the PTI to explain what practical measures it had taken during its 13 years of governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to curb illegal economic activities allegedly supporting terrorism, including extortion, smuggling and the trade in non-customs-paid vehicles.
Khawaja Asif questioned the party’s engagement with security personnel fighting terrorism, asking how frequently PTI leaders had visited security posts to express solidarity with troops and how often they had met families and children affected by terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He also accused the PTI of creating confusion around the state’s narrative against terrorism and questioned why the party did not explicitly identify and condemn militants referred to by the government as “Khwarij.”
In his eighth point, the defence minister alleged that corruption had expanded during PTI’s long period of governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He also referred to public accusations among the party’s own lawmakers concerning alleged financial irregularities and claims involving party funds.
The questions come amid an intensifying political debate over terrorism, security policy and responsibility for militancy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the government and PTI exchanging allegations over their respective approaches to the issue.