Federal ministers accused Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s government of failing to do enough against terrorism, while PTI said the centre was shifting blame and undermining talks.
Representatives of Pakistan’s federal government and PTI traded accusations on Thursday over provincial governance and worsening security. Ministers said the KP government was not doing enough to combat terrorism and was instead focused on the party’s protest march. PTI rejected that assessment.
PTI information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram urged the federal government to rein in ministers’ public attacks if it intended to negotiate. He said daily statements were creating a confrontational atmosphere and weakening prospects for dialogue. He also rejected claims that the KP government or Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was responsible for terrorism.
State Minister for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani said terrorist incidents had risen sharply and described the province as a war zone. He accused the provincial government of not doing enough to address the threat, APP reported. Kashmir Affairs Minister Amir Muqam called on KP officials to focus on residents’ concerns and said the march route kept changing while road closures caused difficulties for the public.
The report was published by Dawn on October 9, 2026.