Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday accused former military officials and ex-premier Imran Khan of orchestrating the resettlement of the Taliban in Pakistan-a step he claimed had worsened the country’s security situation.
In a speech with journalists in Islamabad, Asif claimed that the former Army Chief General (Retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa, former ISI chief General (retired) Faiz Hameed, and Imran Khan decided to bring the Taliban warriors back into the country.
He said the decision had led to a resurgence of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and other parts of the country.
“This was a joint decision … All three played a role in letting militants back,” Asif said, adding that his attitude towards the case was on a record in the National Assembly.
He criticized the PTI-led KP government for its passivity against terrorism and said it prioritized political struggles on its people’s security.
“The KP government is busy fighting against Imran Khan’s political war rather than tackling terrorism. They have to share responsibility for the worsening situation,” he added.
The Minister also rejected the opposition demand for political reconciliation and said that repeated attacks had closed the door to dialogue.
“How can there be reconciliation when they have attacked the state four times and threaten another attack after Eid?” Said Asif. “Resistance policy is the only option that is left.”
He linked the increase in militant activity to the remaining US weapons in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal in 2021 and called it an important contributor to Pakistan’s security challenges.
Asif defended Pakistan’s decision to extradite a sought -after terrorist to the United States and said the country remained on the front lines of the fight against terrorism.
