ISLAMABAD:
The federal government on Monday slammed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi for questioning claims that Afghan soil was used for terror attacks against Pakistan, prompting sharp reactions from several ministers who accused the PTI of undermining the national narrative on terrorism.
The controversy erupted after Afridi, speaking during a media interaction at PTI leader Alamgir Khan’s residence in Karachi on Sunday evening, said the state should provide evidence to support allegations that Afghanistan’s territory was being used for terrorism in Pakistan.
He also noted that other countries that share borders with Afghanistan did not have similar complaints.
In a post on X, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar accused Afridi of acting as Afghanistan’s “spokesman” and called his statements “highly reprehensible and shameful”.
“The whole world has seen evidence of the Afghan Taliban regime’s support for terrorists, and there is also irrefutable evidence that Afghanistan’s soil is being used for terrorist activities,” Tarar said.
He added that “Sohail Afridi has reached the pinnacle of lies and hypocrisy”, claiming that Pakistan had made huge sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and alleged that PTI had repeatedly facilitated terrorists.
“Pakistan’s development is unacceptable to Fitna al Khawarij and that is why Pakistan is being targeted,” he said, adding that Afridi needed to “come to his senses”.
Later in the day, Tarar reiterated the government’s stand while addressing the Qaumi Paigham-e-Amman Committee conference in Islamabad.
He said terrorist elements would not be allowed to promote their narrative or ideology and stressed that the nation stood united in its resolve to eliminate terrorism in all its forms through both kinetic and non-kinetic means.
He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, there were efforts to strengthen the national narrative and counter anti-state designs.
‘PTI spreads doubts’
Speaking separately to the media in Islamabad, Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry accused the PTI of consistently creating uncertainty on national security issues.
“They are always reluctant to call terrorists terrorists and say things that spread doubt among the common man,” he said, adding that neighboring countries were involved, with one “investing” and the other “implementing” terrorism.
“KP CM said once again in Karachi that we should provide Afghan government with evidence of terrorist activities. You still don’t know who is behind terrorism?”
He said at least two dozen countries had pointed out that Afghan soil was being used for terrorism and accused the PTI of deliberately spreading doubt, opposing military operations, opposing the deportation of illegal Afghan nationals and preferring talks to action.
“There must be a reason for this soft attitude,” Talal said.
“They have something in common and I will say it on record: There has not been a single attack on any PTI leader, worker, adviser, minister in the last 11 years,” he alleged.
He accused the party of creating ambiguity so that militant groups could operate in the KP and gain public sympathy.
Questioning PTI’s street movement, Talal asked if the party leaders had met the martyrs’ families.
“You stand against the national narrative because you are a beneficiary,” he said, warning that no individual, regardless of position, would be allowed to speak against the national narrative or cast doubt.
He said PTI could run “100 political movements” but any soft stance on terrorism would not be tolerated.
“We will send you where we will send them. If you have such empathy for them, go to Afghanistan,” he said.
Referring to the amount of violence, Talal said that over 1,200 people had been martyred, families and children were killed in bomb attacks and that 60 to 70 percent of such incidents took place in KP.
He accused the PTI of trying to foment unrest to weaken the state for political influence and warned that sympathizers would be treated as terrorists.
“There is no room for terrorism in Pakistan,” he said, adding that no one would be allowed to “play with the blood of Pakistanis” through narratives or weapons.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry described Afridi’s remarks as “disturbing” and noted that KP had witnessed the highest number of terrorist incidents.
In a video statement posted on X, he said that during dialogues with the Afghan Taliban in Doha and Istanbul, Afghanistan had not denied that its soil was being used for cross-border terrorism, although it had claimed a lack of control.
“Our demand was for them to take control of the situation,” he said.
Questioning whether the KP CM acknowledged the sacrifices of security forces and civilians, he linked major attacks, including the bombing outside a district court in Islamabad, to Afghanistan.
“Your statement today is like rubbing salt in the wounds of families of martyrs and killed civilians,” he said.
Chaudhry said Pakistan had presented evidence and footage at international forums showing terrorists crossing over from Afghanistan.
He said Pakistan remained a friendly country towards Afghanistan and had hosted around four million Afghan refugees for decades, but added that internal security could not be compromised.
“The security of Pakistan and the security of the people is our responsibility and we will fulfill it under any circumstances,” he said, warning that continued attacks would be met with a firm response.
