'ISPR laid out charge sheet against K-P govt'

Asif accuses provincial govt of 'confusing' terrorism narrative

ISLAMABAD:

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday said Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry had effectively read out a "charge sheet" against the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government during his press conference a day earlier, accusing the provincial administration of failing to play its due role in the fight against terrorism.

In a series of posts on X, Asif said political activity could not be used to shield those involved in facilitating terrorism, and questioned why the K-P government was not doing more to combat militancy and strengthen the province's police capacity.

"You cannot hide behind politics while being involved in facilitating terrorism; the DG ISPR has made this clear in unequivocal terms," Asif said.

"We are fighting terrorism, why don't you come forward? Are you cowards or are you in league with terrorists? You create confusion in the terrorism narrative, why don't you build the capacity of the police?"

Asif said the DG ISPR had effectively presented a charge sheet against the K-P government and delivered a clear message that the existing approach would no longer be accepted.

"The most important thing for us is that if there is a state, there is politics; if there is a state, there is democracy; and if there is a state, you and I exist," the federal minister said.

In another post, Asif said he had watched and listened carefully to the DG ISPR's press conference and that, alongside highlighting several important issues, the military spokesperson had also underscored the K-P government's detachment and deliberate indifference towards the fight against terrorism.

Asif questioned what the DG ISPR meant by saying that the terrorism narrative was being confused.

He said the entire nation knew that Fitna al-Khawarij and its supporters, including the TTA regime, were operating against the Pakistani state. In contrast, he said, the PTI advocated engagement with the Afghan regime because Afghans were "our brothers" and called for negotiations and maintaining relations with Kabul.

According to Asif, such an approach confused Pakistan's ongoing fight against terrorism.

He said the state had designated the TTP as Fitna al-Khawarij, but K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and his party had not, to date, used that designation for the group. "What else can be understood from this?" Asif asked.