KP Govt Backing Terrorism, Nation and Army Ready to Face All Threats: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday accused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership of facilitating terrorism in the province, saying the country would hold the provincial government accountable for mounting security losses.
In a statement posted on social media, Asif said terrorist violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had led to the deaths of civilians and military personnel and alleged that the PTI leadership had contributed to the deteriorating security situation.
He claimed that the PTI founder had supported the settlement in KP of elements that backed terrorism, adding that speeches in the National Assembly and media records reflected that position.
The defence minister also accused successive PTI chief ministers of confronting the federation after the party lost power at the Centre.
He described Islamabad as a symbol of the federation’s unity and said actions directed against the federal capital amounted to a challenge to the broader national framework.
Asif said Pakistan’s security personnel had sacrificed their lives in defence of the country and referred to a military operation last year which, he said, had dealt a major blow to hostile forces.
He maintained that the Pakistani nation and armed forces remained capable of confronting both internal and external threats.
The defence minister’s remarks come amid heightened political tensions between the federal government and PTI, with security and the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa increasingly at the centre of the dispute.