ISLAMABAD, October 9, 2025: Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after the removal of Ali Amin Gandapur as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and the nomination of Sohail Khan Afridi as his replacement, saying the move reflected PTI’s “soft corner for terrorists.”
The development came just hours after PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja confirmed Afridi’s nomination for the post, announcing that the party was preparing for a “new policy and a fresh beginning” amid a surge in terrorism across the province. Raja added that the KP government had been advised to distance itself from what he termed the federal government’s “flawed policies,” particularly those linked to the expulsion of Afghan citizens.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside PML-N leader Ikhtiyar Wali, Tarar claimed that PTI had earlier expressed dissatisfaction with Gandapur for not “fully facilitating terrorist elements.” He alleged that the party had now picked a candidate who “holds sympathies for extremists.”
“The nation’s sacrifices will go in vain if such a person is made chief minister,” Tarar said, accusing PTI founder Imran Khan — currently incarcerated — of being the “chief sponsor of terrorists.”
He further claimed that Sohail Afridi faces multiple criminal cases and described him as a “criminal-minded individual.” The minister reiterated that Pakistan’s security policy “will be made in Islamabad, not Kabul,” stressing that the country’s sovereignty and security will not be compromised.
Tarar’s remarks came a day after a deadly terrorist attack in Orakzai district, where two army officers and nine soldiers embraced martyrdom during an intelligence-based operation against what officials described as “Indian-backed terrorists.” The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said 19 militants were killed in the ensuing exchange of fire.
During the presser, Tarar also welcomed a London court verdict that he said had “exposed PTI’s lies” and discredited its foreign backers. “No one sitting abroad has the right to malign Pakistan,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, PML-N’s Ikhtiyar Wali held PTI responsible for what he called “the collapse of governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” blaming the party for internal rifts, corruption, and rising militancy. He alleged that Gandapur was removed after disputes with Bushra Bibi and Aleema Khan over financial matters and claimed that provincial appointments were being “sold for hefty sums on one-year contracts.”
Wali further accused PTI’s social media team of dictating policy decisions, calling it “divisive and irresponsible.”
“Imran Khan’s popularity has turned into infamy,” he said, urging political leaders to stop exploiting sensitive national issues for personal or party gains.
Meanwhile, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi confirmed that his office had received Gandapur’s resignation but had not yet ratified it. Speaking to a private TV channel, Kundi said the resignation could be returned if any “constitutional or legal ambiguity” was found, assuring that due process would be followed in accordance with the law.
