CM aide chides federal govt reps for statements on terrorism

PESHAWAR: Reacting to the statements of Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and Senator Irfan Siddiqui, Advisor to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif on Sunday accused the federal government representatives for fueling terrorism instead of working towards national peace.

Barrister Saif criticised the federal leadership and said that individuals, who once received financial support from Osama Bin Laden for political gains, referring to Nawaz Sharif’s affiliates, cannot hide their past by blaming the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

He pointed out the irony of the Shehbaz Sharif government’s approach to counterterrorism, saying that a person openly caught in illegal and unethical activities was appointed as the Minister of State for Interior, while Irfan Siddiqui, previously known for his support for Taliban-backed “jihad,” had now conveniently rebranded himself as a liberal.

The advisor remarked that the political maneuvering orchestrated by Irfan Siddiqui, first facilitating the appointment of General Bajwa as army chief to remove Nawaz Sharif and later lobbying for his return, demonstrated the inconsistencies in federal leadership.

He strongly criticised the federal government’s response to terrorism, saying that those who panic over minor fireworks on Shab-e-Barat were now masquerading as counterterrorism experts, mocking the sacrifices of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, who had been on the front lines against terrorism.

He called it disgraceful and shameful that federal government officials were using the blood of martyrs for political point-scoring.Providing figures, Barrister Saif revealed that in the 2023-24 periods, 364 security personnel from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were martyred fighting terrorists. He said that statements from federal representatives dishonour these sacrifices and demanded that those making such remarks should apologize to the families of the martyrs.