Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting, Barrister Danyal Chaudhry, on Tesday said that conditions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been worsening for years, while the provincial leadership had failed to take effective measures against terrorism.
ISLAMABAD, Oct 20 (APP):Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting, Barrister Danyal Chaudhry, on Tesday said that conditions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been worsening for years, while the provincial leadership had failed to take effective measures against terrorism.
Talking to the media outside the Parliament House, he said the government had continued negotiations with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) until the last moment in an effort to resolve the issue through dialogue.
He said that governor’s rule or emergency was the least preferred option for any democratic government, but the sacrifices of martyrs and the rise in terrorism had compelled the government to take this step.
He said that personnel of law enforcement agencies were being martyred daily in the fight against terrorism, while their families, widows and orphaned children repeatedly asked how many more children would be orphaned and how many more mothers would be separated from their loved ones.
He said PTI was repeatedly asked to give a practical commitment against terrorism, but no satisfactory response was received.
He said that coffins draped in the Pakistani flag were arriving daily in Rawalpindi and other areas, while negotiations with terrorists and a policy of leniency had further worsened the situation.
Barrister Danyal Chaudhry raised several questions regarding Maulana Fazlur Rehman and said that PTI had previously levelled various allegations against him, including those relating to permits, land of martyrs, training camps and support for terrorists.
He asked whether those allegations were wrong at the time or whether Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s current defence of PTI was wrong.
He said Maulana Fazlur Rehman had described PTI in 2012 as the creation of Jews and Western powers, while in 2021 he alleged that PTI founder and his party had received foreign funding.
He said that in 2023, Maulana had claimed that foreign agencies had used PTI founder to bring him into power.
Barrister Danyal Chaudhry said Maulana Fazlur Rehman had alleged in November 2022 that foreign funding was intended to support the long march and to cancel the visit of the Chinese president.
He said Maulana Fazlur Rehman had described the May 2023 incidents as an attempt to demoralize the martyrs of the armed forces and weaken Pakistan’s military.
He asked that if these statements were correct, what was the basis for standing in defence of PTI today.
Barrister Danyal Chaudhry said that a sudden change in Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s political position after two decades suggested some personal or political interest, as no such change could outweigh the funerals of martyrs, their sacrifices and national security.
He said if Maulana’s past statements were wrong, he should clarify his position before the nation.
He said allegations that the government had taken mines and mineral “Madianities” or made a decision under any agreement were baseless, as governor’s rule was imposed not because of any deal or political pressure, but in view of the sacrifices of martyrs, the increase in terrorism and the requirements of national security.
Barrister called upon Maulana Fazlur Rehman to explain the difference between the situations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, saying that there were fundamental differences between terrorism, insurgency and the policies of the provincial governments in both provinces.
He said the Balochistan government had supported the state’s position against terrorism, whereas the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had adopted a position driven by its political interests.
He said Maulana Fazlur Rehman and his party would have to provide clear answers to all these questions, as either their past statements were wrong or their current position was wrong.
He said the people and the families of martyrs wanted answers to these questions at the earliest.