Govt has 'credible evidence' that PTI was in touch with TTP, says information minister

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday claimed the federal government had “credible evidence” that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had been in contact with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), saying the government would present details of the alleged links at a later stage.

"The government has credible evidence that PTI was in touch with the TTP. And very soon, we will be giving you evidence about the links that we have been able to uncover between the PTI and the TTP,” said Tarar while addressing a press briefing for foreign correspondents alongside Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.

Tarar alleged that the provincial government had shown sympathy towards terrorist groups and had failed to provide adequate support to security personnel fighting them.

“How could a government, which is mandated to protect the lives of people and to maintain law and order in a province, be hand in glove with terrorists to promote terrorist activities?” he asked.

The information minister also accused the PTI leadership of promoting a narrative that undermined law enforcement agencies, saying it had the effect of empowering terrorist groups.

He paid tribute to members of the armed forces, police and other law enforcement agencies killed in the fight against terrorism, saying they had made sacrifices despite what he alleged was insufficient support from the provincial government.

Tarar said the government had also observed a sharp rise in attacks targeting police personnel and installations.

He cited figures indicating that 3,774 terrorist incidents had been recorded in 2025 and 2,857 up to September 2026. He also said fatalities had increased from 267 in 2021 to 3,512 in 2025, while the figure for 2026 had reached 2,775 at the time of the briefing.

He further claimed that attacks targeting police had risen by 168 per cent and that 18 police installations had been targeted over the preceding two years. The information minister said the government believed the change in administration would help improve security and strengthen counter-terrorism operations.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, meanwhile, accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government of failing to tackle terrorism, alleging that its policies had enabled terrorist groups to operate and that there was a disconnect between the provincial administration and federal counter-terrorism efforts.

He also alleged that there was evidence linking PTI with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), saying the government would present the evidence at a later stage.

The information minister said the federal government’s negotiations with PTI and the K-P government had focused on counter-terrorism rather than political demands.

“We had only one agenda. There was no political agenda,” he said, adding that the provincial government could have continued with its political activities while discussions on security measures proceeded.

Read: Centre takes K-P's reins

“The federal government only wanted that there should be one unified policy with regard to counter-terrorism,” he said.

Tarar argued that "one country cannot have two foreign policies." The minister explained that while the state was making efforts to persuade Afghanistan’s interim government to prevent its territory from being used for attacks inside Pakistan, K-P's government had adopted a different approach towards the Afghan administration and counter-terrorism.

“How can one country have two policies with regard to counter-terrorism?” he asked.

The information minister said the federal government had tried to reach an agreement with the provincial authorities, but the chief minister had rejected it.

He alleged that the provincial administration had failed to support a coordinated counter-terrorism policy and had not taken sufficient measures to strengthen the police and security infrastructure.

“There was a complete breakdown of governance. There was a complete breakdown of law and order in the province,” he said.

Attaullah Tarar questioned how the provincial government had spent the resources it had received through the National Finance Commission, claiming it had been allocated almost Rs800 billion.

“Why was it not spent on creating a new CTD force, a counter-terrorism department?” he asked, referring also to the installation of Safe City cameras, the establishment of forensic laboratories, police equipment and programmes to counter violent extremism.

He said he had visited Kohat following a terrorist incident, met injured people in hospital and visited the homes of those killed. “The on-ground sentiment in K-P, the people want eradication of terrorism by all means,” he said.

The information minister said the people affected by violence wanted to be free of terrorism because it was damaging their lives and livelihoods. “If you look at the governance, there are no education reforms. There are no health reforms. There is no public service delivery,” he said.

Tarar alleged that terrorist groups had been facilitated by a network involving political interests and illegal economic activity, including cross-border smuggling in the mines and minerals, timber, tobacco, gold and precious stones sectors.

Read more: State determined to rid K-P of terrorists, says Kundi at first advisory council meeting after governor's rule

He further alleged that the provincial government had failed to prevent the registration of vehicles and motorcycles, which he said hindered efforts to track their use.

The information minister also accused the provincial government of failing to consistently participate in Apex Committee meetings intended to coordinate counter-terrorism efforts.

The ministers also outlined the proposed administrative structure for the 12 conflict-affected districts under the Area Representative and Development Council (ARDC).

Tarar said the new arrangement would include a chairman, vice-chairman, council members and spokespersons, alongside an additional chief secretary and other senior officials.

He identified Yahya Akhunzada as the administrator and said the structure would include officials responsible for policing, law enforcement, narcotics control, legal affairs, tribal affairs, human rights, budgeting and revenue.

He said the council would maintain regional and tribal balance to ensure that local communities were represented in decisions concerning security and development.

“This new setup has come with new hope and has come with a renewed assurance that first and foremost law and order will be maintained,” he said. “And as a result, development will take place in K-P. And the people of K-P will be able to lead a life of prosperity, which they truly deserve,” he added.

Tarar said the federal government expected the new administration to take a more coordinated approach to counter-terrorism. He also said the government would pursue the alleged links between PTI and the TTP through the relevant process, reiterating that further evidence would be presented.

Law minister defends emergency 

The law minister said the decision had been taken after consultations, negotiations with the provincial authorities and a review of reports on the deteriorating security situation.

“The Prime Minister thought it appropriate to bring these matters before the federal cabinet,” Azam said, adding that the decision had been taken by consensus, "without any dissent," in order "to save the people living" in K-P.

The law minister said the federal government had initially pursued negotiations with the provincial authorities to establish a coordinated counter-terrorism policy but had failed to secure the desired outcome.

Explaining the legal basis for the decision, Azam said the Constitution provided for federal intervention when internal disturbances became so serious that a provincial government could no longer maintain law and order.

“Pakistan is a federation. So there is a division of powers,” he said, adding that the federal and provincial governments enjoyed constitutional and legal autonomy within their respective domains.

However, he said counter-terrorism efforts required coordination between federal and provincial agencies.

“Whenever internal disturbances go to a certain extent, both the state government and the federal government, they work in harmony. And they work together because it is for the state, it is for the country,” he said.

The law minister said Article 232 of the Constitution dealt with emergency provisions in circumstances where internal disturbances reached a level that a provincial government could not control.

He also referred to Article 234, which provides for the exercise of presidential powers in the event of a failure of constitutional machinery in a province.

“Now, what has happened with the proclamation issued by the president under Article 232 and 234 of the Constitution?” he asked, explaining that the proclamation authorised the federal government to assume responsibility for running provincial affairs or delegate some of those responsibilities to the governor.

“Within the constitutional scheme, the provincial government ceases to hold the office, the chief minister and the ministers and other office bearers, as mentioned in the proclamation,” he said.

Azam said the federal government had exercised these powers after "thorough deliberations" in the cabinet and while examining "all possible avenues and materials."

He added that the measure was not unprecedented, saying constitutional provisions of this nature had been invoked on nine or 10 occasions by elected governments in the past.

The law minister said the proclamation would have to undergo the approval process stipulated in the Constitution, including consideration by both houses of parliament and, in the case of Article 234, placement before a joint sitting.

Responding to a question about the duration of governor’s rule, he said the Constitution provided a maximum period of six months under Article 234. “We should not speculate that nobody knows the exact time,” he said, adding that the government hoped the situation would improve through efforts from Islamabad.

He said Articles 232 and 234 had been invoked together because the government believed the conditions for both provisions existed simultaneously.

“There was totally a breakdown of the constitutional machinery. And on the other hand, the internal disturbance was of such a nature that it was beyond the control of the provincial authorities,” he said.

The law minister said the government’s decision had followed a sharp increase in terrorist incidents in K-P. For comparative analysis, he said the government had divided the previous six years into two periods.

“During 2021-2024, in those years, the total recorded terrorist-related incidents in K-P province remained approximately 2,900,” he said. “In 2024-26, this number rose to approximately 8,600. So there is exactly 195 per cent rise,” he added.

Azam said provincial police were under attack, the armed forces deployed there were under attack, and the province had also encountered a surge in attacks against customs officials and religious scholars.

“Innocent persons lost their lives and got severe injuries during these incidents,” he said.

He cited the killing of nine customs officials in a suicide attack, alongside attacks on security forces and civilians, as examples of the deteriorating situation.

“In such graver conditions, if your priorities are to mobilise people for political gains, and your priorities are not to curb the terrorism or to fight against it in a coordinated manner alongside the federal agencies, it’s simply unfortunate,” he said.

The law minister said the federal interior minister and other stakeholders had remained in contact with provincial authorities but had not received the response required to establish an effective joint strategy.

He said the federal government had explored negotiations and political engagement before deciding to invoke the constitutional provisions. “Everything was discussed, and most of the issues were resolved,” he said, adding that the talks ultimately failed to produce a positive outcome.

Read more: PM forms 11-member panel to monitor K-P

Azam alleged that political considerations had taken precedence over national interests in the provincial government’s response. “Maybe their politics was more dear to them compared to the national interest,” he said.

“Providing a peaceful, congenial environment in the provinces should be the top priority of the government,” he said.

Asked why emergency provisions had been invoked in K-P but not in Balochistan, Azam said the federal government had assessed the two provinces differently on the basis of their respective governments’ responses to terrorism.

He said the Balochistan chief minister had been actively engaging with security agencies, visiting areas affected by attacks, supporting rehabilitation work and meeting injured people and bereaved families.

“Your actions speak louder than your words,” he said, arguing that the Balochistan government had demonstrated its resolve to fight terrorism.

The law minister contrasted that approach with what he described as the K-P government’s failure to respond adequately to attacks and support security personnel.

On the question of whether the new arrangement would succeed in eliminating terrorism, Azam said the government was hopeful that the situation would improve, while acknowledging that the precise duration of governor’s rule could not be predicted.

The ministers maintained that the measures had been taken under the Constitution and were intended to restore law and order, improve security coordination and protect residents of K-P.