Certain elements in KP provide shelter to terrorists: Tarar

LAHORE: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said here on Sunday that Pakistan’s armed forces remain alert and vigilant to foil the nefarious designs of the country’s enemies.

Talking to media, Tarar highlighted that the armed forces are carrying out operations to stop infiltration from Afghanistan, while certain elements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provide shelter to terrorists for their vested interests. He added rumours being spread in the country are part of an organised conspiracy. He said Afghan soil is being used by terrorists to launch attacks in Pakistan.

On the issue of smuggling, the minister alleged the KPK provincial government functionaries are involved in drug trafficking and illicit trade. He said the PTI’s political figures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are filling their pockets from these illegal activities.

He further said that non-custom-paid vehicles operating in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are causing billions of rupees in losses to the national treasury. He added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the only province in the world where thousands of such vehicles run freely. He stressed that registering these vehicles could generate around eight hundred billion rupees in revenue. He said another five hundred billion rupees could be collected if the tobacco mafia began paying taxes.

He said it seems strange that terrorists attack the army, police, and schools but not those engaged in the drug trade because that is where the money comes from.

Tarar said the PTI has been ruling Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the past 12 years but has failed to strengthen the prosecution system to hold criminals and terrorists accountable.

He noted that although cases are filed against terrorists, the provincial government lacks the legal capacity to conduct trials in these cases.

Attaullah Tarar pointed out that more than four thousand terrorism cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have not yet reached the indictment stage. He added that thousands of cases have remained pending over the last three years, while indictments have not been filed in 4,000 cases, exposing the weakness of the province’s prosecution system.

He said the PTI’s political–terror–crime nexus is designed to spread uncertainty and divert the nation’s attention from the fight against terrorism.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025