“PTI is TTP’s B Team”: Atta Tarar Questions Party’s Position on Terrorism

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry have said terrorist networks operating from Afghanistan are sending groups into Pakistan to carry out attacks, while accusing the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of failing to provide security forces with adequate resources and leadership.

Addressing a joint press conference in Islamabad, Talal Chaudhry said the recent terrorist attack at a checkpoint in Dera Ismail Khan, in which civilians including women and children were killed, also targeted rescue personnel. Local reporting has separately confirmed fatalities and injuries in recent attacks in D.I. Khan.

Govt Says Attackers Traced to Afghanistan

Talal Chaudhry said terrorists often release photographs and footage of their associates after carrying out attacks.

He said that after the D.I. Khan incident, the photograph of one of the attackers was entered into the system and checked against NADRA and other records, but no identity was found through those databases.

According to information obtained through open-source sources, he said, the individual was a resident of Kabul, Afghanistan.

Chaudhry said terrorist groups were entering Pakistan from Afghanistan and that, according to the government’s assessment, around 70 percent of the attackers were Afghan residents.

He said Pakistan had approached Afghan authorities through dossiers, negotiations and other channels but maintained that Islamabad had not seen a sufficient change in the situation.

Minister Says Terrorists Funded in Dollars

The minister said terrorist groups were carrying out attacks in return for financial payments and described their objective as destabilising Pakistan.

He also questioned why Afghanistan and the groups operating from its territory were not being openly discussed in the political debate over terrorism.

Chaudhry said the Pakistani government had repeatedly raised concerns over the use of Afghan territory by terrorist groups and had called for effective action against such networks.

KP Government Criticised Over Security Resources

Talal Chaudhry also criticised the KP government for what he described as inadequate support for law-enforcement agencies.

He said political leadership in the province had not stood behind security forces during the past 14 years and alleged that the provincial government had failed to provide the resources required for counterterrorism operations.

He specifically mentioned the need for an effective Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), bulletproof vehicles and modern weapons, saying security forces could not effectively fight terrorism without these facilities.

Chaudhry further alleged that some bulletproof vehicles provided to security forces had subsequently been returned for political reasons.

He also criticised proposed changes to the provincial police law, saying they could affect police powers.

Federal Government Seeks Account of KP Funds

The minister said security-related meetings were sometimes attended without adequate participation from the provincial government, while the province continued to receive its share under the National Finance Commission (NFC) arrangements.

He said the National Action Plan’s 14 points required implementation as part of the country’s counterterrorism strategy.

Chaudhry also said the federal government had sought an account of Rs800 billion from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and questioned how federal funds had been utilised for public welfare and security.

Atta Tarar Criticises PTI Leadership

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the federal government remained committed to eliminating terrorism and providing security institutions with all possible support.

He criticised the PTI-led provincial leadership and alleged that it had failed to take adequate measures against terrorism.

Tarar also alleged that PTI was involved in financially supporting terrorists, a charge that remains a political allegation and was not accompanied by evidence in the remarks cited here.

He questioned why militants had not targeted leaders of some other political parties to the same extent and said the issue of terrorism required a clear national position.

Questions Over Unregistered Vehicles

Tarar also raised concerns about the large number of non-custom-paid vehicles operating in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He alleged that some vehicles without proper registration or number plates were being used in terrorist activities and said better vehicle registration could have generated billions of rupees for the provincial government while improving law-enforcement tracking.

He also criticised the provincial government’s handling of the CTD and questioned whether sufficient efforts had been made to strengthen the department.

Government Vows Action Against Terrorism

Tarar said political differences should not prevent the state from taking firm action against terrorism.

He said the federal government would continue supporting security institutions and would take steps aimed at eliminating terrorist networks.