Khawaja Asif Poses Eight Questions to PTI Over Counterterrorism Policy
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has challenged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf over its counterterrorism record, posing eight questions about the party’s policies during its years in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In a social media statement on Monday, Asif targeted PTI’s position that it had not been allowed to formulate an effective policy against terrorism.
He questioned what had prevented the party from developing its own counterterrorism strategy during its long period in government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its previous tenure at the federal level.
The defence minister also questioned whether any obstacle had prevented the provincial administration from implementing the National Action Plan or regularly convening Apex Committee meetings.
Asif challenged PTI over its response to militant violence linked by Pakistani authorities to Afghanistan, asking why the party had not more strongly condemned attacks on Pakistani civilians and security forces.
He specifically raised recent alleged drone attacks in Kohat and questioned why the provincial government had not publicly condemned Afghanistan over the incidents.
Asif also referred to cross-border firing, infiltration and alleged militant support from Afghan territory, questioning how frequently PTI had publicly protested such incidents to the Afghan authorities.
Another part of his criticism focused on what he described as an illegal economy facilitating terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He questioned what measures PTI-led governments had taken against extortion, smuggling and the trade in non-custom-paid vehicles during their years in power.
The defence minister also criticised PTI’s relationship with security forces fighting militancy, questioning how often party leaders had visited frontline positions or met families affected by terrorism.
Asif further challenged PTI over terminology used for militants and accused the party of creating confusion around the state’s counterterrorism narrative.
His eighth question shifted to governance and corruption, with the minister alleging that provincial resources had been misused during PTI’s rule and referring to accusations exchanged among party members.
Those corruption allegations were political claims made by Asif and were not independently established in the statement.
The remarks come amid a broader political dispute between the federal government and PTI over security policy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
PTI has maintained that KP remains on the frontline of Pakistan’s fight against terrorism and has called for a broader consultative security strategy for the province.
The exchange highlights widening differences between the government and PTI over responsibility for rising militancy, relations with Afghanistan and the strategy required to counter terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
