Enough is enough: KP cannot be left to ‘Taliban allies’, says defence minister

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has called for “crucial decisions” over the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the province could no longer be left at the mercy of “incompetent, insensitive rulers and Taliban allies”.

In a post on X, Asif accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government of showing “complete detachment” from terrorism and criticised Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and his cabinet for focusing on a political long march instead of the security situation.

“Enough blood of KP’s people has been spilled,” the defence minister said, alleging “complete collusion” between the provincial government and terrorists.

He referred to the October 6 attack in Dera Ismail Khan, in which five people, including two customs officials, were killed, and criticised the provincial government for not condemning the incident or offering condolences to the victims’ families.

Asif also alleged that the chief minister had scheduled a late-night meeting to reprimand the inspector general of police and chief secretary for attending a security meeting convened by the governor.

“The time has come to make crucial decisions. KP cannot be left any longer to the mercy of incompetent, insensitive rulers and Taliban allies,” he said.

The defence minister further warned that the unity of the country could not be put at risk and that an entire province could not be held hostage.

Drawing a comparison with the PTI government’s tenure, Asif said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership had faced imprisonment but continued to perform its parliamentary role and pursued political disputes through constitutional and legal forums.

He accused the PTI of holding the country and institutions “hostage” and alleged that it had allied with the Taliban.

“Enough is enough,” Asif said.