Lahore, October 11, 2025: In a sharp rebuke of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar on Saturday alleged that the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had effectively become the militant wing of the Imran Khan-founded party.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Tarar claimed that certain elements were obstructing efforts to restore peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and accused “troublemakers” of attempting to destabilise the province.
“It is the impression across the country that the banned TTP has become the militant wing of PTI,” he said, adding that the state would not allow any group or political entity to undermine national security.
The minister said the nation remained united in its resolve to eradicate terrorism and credited military operations such as Radd-ul-Fasaad and Zarb-e-Azb for significantly weakening militant networks.
Tarar further alleged that certain “political actors” were responsible for bringing militants back to the country “under a plan.” He also accused members of the KP cabinet of being influenced by “timber and drug mafias.”
“Why has the provincial government failed to act against the timber and tobacco mafias or curb the use of non-custom-paid vehicles?” he questioned.
Taking aim at PTI, Tarar referred to it as “Tehreek-e-Intishar” (movement of chaos), saying the party “has nothing to do with the sovereignty of Pakistan or the sacrifices of its martyrs.”
“The Tehreek-e-Intishar’s only objective is to create unrest in KP rather than addressing people’s genuine concerns,” he added.
Reiterating the federal government’s position, Tarar vowed that terrorism would not be allowed to resurface in any form.
“There is no room for terrorism. We will not rest until the last terrorist is eliminated,” he declared.
PTI responds
Responding to the minister’s remarks, PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja dismissed the accusations as “baseless” and politically motivated.
“False and baseless allegations were levelled against PTI a day earlier,” Raja said. “We are calling for a comprehensive anti-terror strategy so that innocent people do not lose their lives during operations. We want to eliminate terrorists from our soil.”
The exchange followed a statement by Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, who on Friday drew a stark comparison between governance in Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“In Sindh and Punjab, governance exists — the police and law enforcement agencies are functioning. But in KP, rather than improving governance and the rule of law, terrorism is politicised under the guise of provincialism. Is that not itself a criminal act?” he said.
The DG ISPR reaffirmed the Pakistan Army’s resolve to uproot terrorism and dismantle what he described as a “political-criminal nexus” behind the recent surge in attacks in the province.
