KP govt backs out of counterterrorism commitments during talks: Naqvi

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said Sunday that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had backed out of commitments on counterterrorism measures during the final phase of negotiations with the federal government.

In a statement on X, Naqvi said the KP government had agreed to sign a written agreement and submit an implementation plan within 72 hours, but withdrew from the commitments during last night’s talks.

The proposed commitments included reconsideration of the Police Act 2026 in view of the security situation, preventing terrorists from operating freely or finding safe havens in the province, and an unequivocal condemnation of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA) and other terrorist groups.

The agreement also covered support for the national policy on Afghan refugees, including repatriation and dismantling Afghan camps in KP, no contact with the interim Afghan government, substantial funding for counterterrorism operations and police, and full provincial ownership of counterterrorism measures.

It further called for stronger cooperation between the provincial government and armed forces, provincial decisions on counterterrorism in former FATA and merged districts, and implementation of the National Action Plan.

“Security must not be politicised while the province is at war,” Naqvi said.

His statement came a day after the second round of government-opposition talks ended in deadlock, with the opposition refusing to withdraw its October 4 long march unless its representatives were first allowed to meet jailed former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan.

The talks, held at the chambers of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, continued for more than eight hours but failed to produce an agreement. The government insisted that the opposition first call off the protest, while the opposition demanded a meeting with Khan involving opposition leaders and KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.

Meanwhile, preparations for the long march continued, with Afridi announcing that its first phase would begin from Lakki Marwat on Sunday before proceeding through southern districts towards Peshawar.

The protest is being organised against the backdrop of heightened security concerns in KP, where security forces have been conducting operations against terrorists.