APP
Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Barrister Danyal Chaudhry on Tuesday said rising terrorism and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s failure to take effective measures against militancy necessitated decisive action to safeguard national security. Talking to the media outside Parliament House, he said the federal government had continued negotiations with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) until the last moment to resolve the issue through dialogue.
He said governor’s rule or an emergency was the least preferred option for any democratic government, but the growing threat of terrorism and the sacrifices of security personnel had made the situation increasingly serious. Barrister Danyal said law enforcement personnel were being martyred daily in counterterrorism operations, leaving behind grieving families, widows and orphaned children.
He said the recurring loss of lives raised painful questions about how many more families would have to suffer such tragedies. He maintained that PTI had repeatedly been asked to provide a practical commitment to combating terrorism but had failed to offer a satisfactory response.
He also criticised what he described as a policy of leniency towards terrorists, arguing that it had further aggravated the security situation. Turning to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Barrister Danyal questioned his current political position in support of PTI, citing statements the JUI-F leader had made against the party and its founder in previous years.
He recalled that Maulana Fazlur Rehman had described PTI in 2012 as a creation of Jewish and Western powers and had subsequently levelled allegations concerning foreign funding and the role of foreign agencies in bringing the party’s founder to power.
The parliamentary secretary also referred to Maulana’s November 2022 allegations that foreign funding was intended to support PTI’s long march and derail the Chinese president’s visit. He further cited the JUI-F leader’s remarks about the May 2023 incidents, which he said had characterised the attacks as an attempt to demoralise the armed forces and undermine Pakistan’s military.
Barrister Danyal questioned the consistency of Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s current stance in light of those earlier statements, urging him to clarify whether his previous allegations or his present political position reflected his actual assessment of PTI.
He said the apparent shift in the JUI-F leader’s political position warranted an explanation, adding that political considerations should not overshadow the sacrifices of security personnel or the requirements of national security.
Rejecting allegations that the proposed governor’s rule was linked to mines, minerals or any agreement, Barrister Danyal said the matter should be viewed in the context of rising terrorism and security requirements rather than political or commercial interests.
He also drew a distinction between the situations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, arguing that the nature of the security challenges, responses to militancy and positions adopted by the respective provincial governments differed fundamentally.
He said the Balochistan government had supported the state’s position against terrorism, whereas, in his assessment, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s approach had been influenced by political considerations.a
Barrister Danyal urged Maulana Fazlur Rehman and his party to clarify their position on the issues raised, saying the public and the families of martyrs deserved answers amid persistent security challenges.