Talal Chaudhry Criticizes PTI’s Soft Stance on Terrorism, While KPK Government Pushes for Talks with Afghanistan
Islamabad:Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry** has accused **Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)** of maintaining a **soft stance** towards **terrorists**, emphasizing that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) government has failed to effectively combat terrorism. He criticized the provincial government for focusing more on the issue of **tribal jirgas** rather than addressing the ongoing terrorism issues in the region.
Speaking to **Geo News**, Talal Chaudhry stated that the **PTI**-led **KPK government** has not participated in crucial meetings regarding the **country’s security situation**, and he pointed out that the most frequent terrorist incidents have occurred in KPK. He noted that instead of dealing with the **terrorism threat**, the provincial government is preoccupied with the **tribal jirga** issue.
He further stated that the **federal government** has already received **proposals** to deal with the terrorism problem, but the **provincial government** would only be involved when the federal government deems it appropriate. He emphasized that **foreign policy** is the responsibility of the **federal government**, and **KPK**’s engagement with **Afghanistan** is not a priority for the federal authorities at the moment. Chaudhry added that **PTI’s founder** had directed the provincial government to improve relations with **Afghanistan**, but in his view, the **PTI** continues to provide **a soft corner to terrorists**.
On the other hand, **KPK’s Special Assistant for Information**, **Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif**, expressed a different opinion on the matter. In his conversation with **Geo News**, Saif praised the federal government’s decision to initiate talks with **Afghanistan**, although he believed that this move came a bit late. He stated that **KPK** has repeatedly called for the inclusion of **all stakeholders**, including the provincial government, in the dialogue process. Saif criticized the **federal government** for ignoring **KPK’s** concerns and pointed out that the province has been at the forefront of the battle against terrorism and is the **most affected** by it.
Saif also emphasized that the **peace talks with Afghanistan** are essential for regional stability. He pointed out that the **Terms of Reference (TORs)** for such talks were sent to the **federal government** by **KPK** three months ago, and these terms include **tribal elders** and other **stakeholders** to ensure a comprehensive approach. According to Saif, any negotiations held without consulting the relevant stakeholders will not yield positive results.
Regarding the **KPK government’s initiative** to send a **jirga to Afghanistan**, Saif stated that they had written to the **federal government** about it, but **three months later**, there has been no response. He accused the federal government of showing **indifference** to the **security situation in KPK**, as terrorism continues to rise in the province. He called for an immediate response and expressed a desire for a visit to **Afghanistan** to address the growing tensions and deteriorating situation.
It’s worth noting that **KPK Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur** had previously announced plans to send a **jirga** of **tribal elders**, **religious leaders**, and **businessmen** to Afghanistan, in an attempt to strengthen relations and resolve security issues, but the lack of cooperation from the federal government has hindered this initiative.
The ongoing rift between the **federal** and **provincial governments** over how to handle the security situation and relations with Afghanistan remains a point of contention, with both sides offering different perspectives on how best to address the **terrorism** and **regional instability**.
