ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday assailed the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government over a “lack of governance” in the province. Speaking at a press conference alongside Ikhtiar Wali Khan, who is the Prime Minister’s coordinator for information and KP affairs, he accused the provincial leadership of focusing on politics instead of security, health, education and development. The allegations were made by the minister, and the reports reviewed do not show that he presented evidence. The PTI has strongly rejected such accusations in the past and says the Centre is responsible for problems in the province.
Background: A Widening Gap Between Islamabad and Peshawar
Relations between the federal government and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government have been tense for months. KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who was elected in October 2025, has repeatedly criticised the federal government’s counter-terrorism and Afghanistan policies. Federal ministers, for their part, have accused his government of failing to deal with militancy and of neglecting governance.
The dispute grew sharper in recent weeks as PTI prepared for a long march on October 4. Talks between the government and the party failed over the weekend, with the interior minister blaming the KP chief minister, while PTI leader Asad Qaisar said the talks collapsed because the government did not allow party leaders access to jailed founder Imran Khan. Federal ministers have also discussed the constitutional possibility of governor’s rule in KP, although Tarar said earlier that talking about it was premature, and Afridi has rejected such warnings.
Details: What Tarar Said on Saturday
Tarar said that KP had once been a source of pride and a popular destination for tourists, but alleged that 13.5 years of PTI-led provincial rule had taken the province “to the Stone Age.” He questioned how much time Afridi spends on governance, claiming that it was “zero point zero hours,” and said the chief minister could have built universities, schools, hospitals and roads instead of focusing on efforts to free Imran Khan.
He also alleged that the province had received Rs700 billion during the PTI’s tenure for development and security projects, but that the money had been spent on protests. He criticised the provincial government for allegedly not installing safe-city cameras in districts and for not investing enough in the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), forensic facilities and police. As for security, he repeated his claim that the PTI is the “B team” of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, an allegation the party has denied in the past.
Wali, who spoke next, alleged that PTI’s promises of quick change had not been met and claimed that 18 of KP’s 34 universities were close to bankruptcy. He also made allegations of corruption and unexplained wealth against unnamed provincial figures and said that an accountability process would start. These claims were not independently verified in the reports reviewed.
Quotes: What the Two Sides Say
“They have always been the TTP’s B team. I say this openly; this has been my position from the beginning, and I stand by it,” Tarar said at the press conference. He also defended the federal government’s fuel relief scheme and said that 10 million unique users had benefited from it.
On the other side, Afridi has said that the PTI had been labelled “wild” and “terrorist,” and that the party had never refused negotiations. The party and the provincial government say that counter-terrorism policy should be formed jointly with the province and other stakeholders, and that the federal government’s insistence on unilateral measures is the main reason for the failure of talks.
Note for the writer: if you can find a fresh statement from Sohail Afridi, PTI’s spokesperson or the KP information adviser in response to Saturday’s remarks, add it here. Do not publish invented quotes.
Impact: Politics, Security and Public Services
The row has a direct effect on ordinary people in KP, who are facing both security challenges and demands for better public services. Militant attacks have been reported in several districts, and both sides blame each other for gaps in security. A prolonged dispute between Islamabad and Peshawar could slow cooperation on policing, funding and development.
It also feeds the wider political contest between the PML-N-led federal government and the PTI. Many readers searching for PTI Pakistan updates, the PTI government’s projects list or the names of PTI members and leaders will find that claims on both sides are strongly contested. Independent data from audit reports, budget documents and the courts is the best guide.
A common question is whether the PTI is banned in Pakistan. As far as the reports reviewed show, it is not banned. The party operates, contests elections and governs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In July 2024, Tarar announced that the federal government would seek a ban through the Supreme Court, a move that was criticised by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and others, but a final court decision to ban the party was not reported in the sources reviewed.
Conclusion: What to Watch Next
The next steps depend on whether the Centre and the KP government can restart talks, and how the PTI continues its protest campaign. Talk of governor’s rule is likely to remain in the background if the security situation worsens.
For the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the key issue is practical: better security, working hospitals and schools, and a government that is ready to cooperate with the Centre. Further updates will follow as both sides respond.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which party is PTI in Pakistan?
PTI stands for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, a political party founded by Imran Khan in 1996. It is led in spirit by Khan, who is in jail, and it is one of the country’s largest parties. It formed the federal government from 2018 to 2022 and has led the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government since 2013, with Sohail Afridi as chief minister since October 2025. The party is the main opposition to the PML-N-led federal government, and it is not banned. Its leaders and supporters often describe it as a movement for accountability and “naya Pakistan,” while its critics, including the current federal government, accuse it of poor governance and violent protests, claims that PTI rejects. Readers should check the party’s official channels and trusted news outlets for the latest membership and leadership details.
When did the PTI government end in Pakistan?
The PTI-led federal government came to power in August 2018 and ended in April 2022, when Imran Khan was removed from office through a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly. The tenure lasted about three and a half years, which is why reports on its economic record often refer to a period of 43 or 44 months. Khan has said that his removal was the result of a foreign conspiracy, which his opponents reject, and the issue remains a major point of political dispute. While the federal government ended in 2022, the party’s provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has continued, which is why the federal government today still criticises its record there.
How much debt is taken by the PTI government?
According to State Bank of Pakistan data reported by The Express Tribune, Pakistan’s public debt rose by about Rs18 trillion to Rs19.5 trillion during the roughly three and a half years of the PTI government, depending on the period measured. The gross public debt stood at Rs44.4 trillion by the end of March 2022, compared with about Rs24.95 trillion at the end of the previous PML-N term in June 2018. Reports cite the rupee’s fall, higher interest rates, large budget deficits and losses at state-owned companies as the main reasons. The following governments also added large amounts of debt, and economists say that figures depend on exchange rates and the dates used, so readers should check the latest SBP debt bulletins.
