Repeated efforts to defuse KP crisis fail, says Naqvi
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday the government had made repeated efforts to avert a developing crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but negotiations and last-minute contacts failed to produce a breakthrough.
Naqvi said he had contacted the other side at 12:30 am and urged them to prevent the situation from escalating, but received no response.
He was speaking at a news conference alongside Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar and Law and Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar regarding the decision to impose an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Naqvi said Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman met the prime minister a day earlier and subsequently held a meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders. The prime minister also made contact again, but the efforts yielded no result, he added.
The government had repeatedly made clear that it had no objection to a sit-in or protest in Islamabad, Naqvi said, adding that its main concern was the worsening security situation and the need for cooperation in counterterrorism efforts.
He questioned how the country could continue attending the funerals of security personnel and civilians killed in attacks while political leaders remained unwilling to cooperate on security despite being present in the same city.
Naqvi said the president and prime minister had remained personally involved in the negotiations rather than waiting for the other side to approach them.
Highlighting the security challenges, he said 12 districts of the province were facing particularly difficult conditions, with residents in some areas unable to go outside after sunset.
He referred to the recent killing of a senior officer and targeted attacks on police personnel, customs officials and other individuals, describing the situation as deeply concerning.
Naqvi said he had held several meetings with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, during which discussions focused exclusively on terrorism rather than political matters.
He said a plan had also been discussed to strengthen the provincial police initially in five districts, with the army and Frontier Corps to withdraw from those areas within six months and responsibility transferred to the police.
The same process was to be extended to five more districts over the following six months, he added.
The provincial government had raised concerns about funding for the plan, but the federal government had offered to cover any shortfall, Naqvi said, arguing that the fight against terrorism was a collective responsibility. However, work on the proposed arrangement had yet to begin, he added.
Naqvi also stressed that the federation and a province could not pursue separate foreign policies.
Referring to alleged connections between some provincial actors and the Afghan Taliban, he said the matter was not hidden and called for a unified approach to security and counterterrorism.
Concluding his remarks, Naqvi prayed for the country’s safety and for the success of Pakistan’s armed forces, police and paramilitary personnel in the fight against terrorism.