Amir Muhammad Khan<\/strong><\/p>\n Pakistan is currently passing through a period in which, despite political differences, it has become more important than ever to keep matters of national security separate from political confrontation. The situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in particular, has raised several serious questions. On the one hand, there are continuing incidents of terrorism; on the other, allegations of cross-border interference from Afghanistan; and, in addition, growing tensions between the federal government and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. Together, these factors have created a highly complicated situation.<\/p>\n But one cannot help asking whether this confrontation is really without a reason, or whether it reflects PTI’s clearly anti-state policies. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the party appears to have chosen as Chief Minister someone who promises to devote himself to creating political unrest in the country. During protests and sit-ins, Ali Amin Gandapur left his workers on the streets and disappeared. His “software” had apparently been updated, and that is why the captain, from Adiala Jail, ordered that the present Chief Minister be appointed.<\/p>\n Last night, the Chief Minister was saying with a broad smile that he had been prepared specifically for protest politics. What a remarkable “preparation” this is! Instead of focusing day and night on the development of the province and the welfare of its people, a Chief Minister appears to be preoccupied with declarations such as, “I will bring everything down.” The Chief Minister had announced that Islamabad would be turned upside down on September 27. The world witnessed what happened. Now the date has been moved to October 4. The people will see that as well.<\/p>\n Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s population is around 16 percent of Pakistan’s total population, with approximately 40.6 million people. In the last general election, PTI received around 3.75 million votes in the province. A significant portion of these voters, however, may have become tired of PTI’s repeated and, in their view, unnecessary protest politics.<\/p>\n For the past 13 years, since PTI established itself as the dominant political force in the province, the question remains whether sufficient attention has been given to public welfare while the government machinery has remained deeply involved in protest politics. Is the provincial budget being spent on the welfare and development of the people, or is an increasing amount of public money being consumed by political protests?<\/p>\n The situation has now reached a point where fewer than 3.75 million people are allegedly seeking to hold hostage the lives and interests of Pakistan’s 270 million citizens through repeated protests. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister and the provincial government appear to be turning a blind eye to terrorism in the province. Security personnel and innocent civilians are being martyred, while the provincial government has even been reluctant to attend the funerals of those killed.<\/p>\n Terrorists entering from Afghanistan are killing innocent Pakistanis, yet PTI’s position appears to be so cautious that even speaking openly against these Afghan militants is treated as politically unacceptable. Terrorism by Indian-sponsored elements and the Taliban has made the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa among the biggest victims of terrorism.<\/p>\n The province has sacrificed countless police officers, soldiers, Frontier Corps personnel and ordinary citizens in the fight against terrorism. Therefore, the provincial government carries the greatest responsibility to take practical measures against terrorism and to make its political and moral position on the issue absolutely clear.<\/p>\n For PTI supporters, it is important to examine the party’s past and present policy toward terrorism. If we turn the pages of history, the picture becomes easier to understand.<\/p>\n During Imran Khan’s government, negotiations were held with certain groups of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). In October 2021, Imran Khan himself confirmed that the government was negotiating with certain TTP groups and that the Afghan Taliban were also helping in the process.<\/p>\n At that time, the government’s position was that if peace could be achieved through negotiations, and if militants were willing to lay down their arms and return to normal life, reconciliation could be considered. Yet despite those negotiations, the country continued to suffer from terrorism. The terrorists remained the same people with whom negotiations had been taking place, and terrorism continues today.<\/p>\n Later, in 2023, Imran Khan also stated that after the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, around 30,000 to 40,000 Pakistani tribal militants wanted to return to Pakistan, and that his government had considered the possibility of resettling them. Perhaps some were even resettled, as families and tribal relationships existed on both sides of the border.<\/p>\n The mistake of that government was that it adopted a policy whose consequences Pakistan is still facing in the form of terrorism. How could settling militants in the very country that had suffered from terrorism be considered a safe strategy?<\/p>\n Regardless of political criticism, several questions remain. If the purpose of the negotiations was peace, what were the results? If the plan involved the return and resettlement of militants, how were these individuals monitored? Were effective guarantees obtained from them that they would abandon weapons and accept the Constitution and laws of Pakistan? And if terrorism increased again after this policy, what lessons were learned from that experience?<\/p>\n Today, when Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is once again in the grip of terrorism, these questions cannot simply be ignored.<\/p>\n It is clear that Afghan territory has been used for terrorist attacks against Pakistan. This should be condemned unequivocally. Yet the provincial leadership appears unwilling to openly condemn these attacks.<\/p>\n Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, only a few days ago, clearly highlighted at the United Nations the issue of terrorist attacks against Pakistan originating from Afghanistan. The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, meanwhile, repeatedly accuses the federal government of not providing adequate assistance to the province in combating terrorism.<\/p>\n If the federal government is not helping, then what are the security personnel who are being martyred in the fight against terrorism? Who are they fighting and sacrificing their lives for?<\/p>\n The provincial leadership makes accusations against the federal government, but appears reluctant to condemn the terrorists themselves. When the Chief Minister does not attend the funeral prayers of those martyred by terrorists, what message does that send to the terrorists?<\/p>\n Terrorism is not merely an issue for the army or the police. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a land of courageous and resilient people. But instead of guiding that courage and energy in a positive direction, the provincial government appears to be pushing the people toward a furnace of political protest.<\/p>\n The ordinary poor worker loses his daily income; he may end up in jail; his family is forced to visit courts; unemployment increases and businesses suffer.<\/p>\n Every problem has a political solution. But where there is no genuine politics and the only objective is to damage the country, politics itself becomes meaningless.<\/p>\n The party’s leadership appears fragmented, with no clear decision-maker. Every member wants to pursue politics according to his own approach, while its aggressive social-media campaigners and political supporters attack anyone who speaks about peace or stability, branding them as agents of the state. Eventually, even those politicians who initially spoke for peace begin echoing the protesters.<\/p>\n For the sake of Pakistan’s development and peace, it is essential that such politicians be held accountable through constitutional and legal means. If they have violated the law, the courts and the Constitution should determine the appropriate consequences. The presence of political actors who undermine peace and stability can be extremely damaging to any country.<\/p>\n No matter how hard the Prime Minister or the Field Marshal may work, if terrorism continues to be mixed with political confrontation, the country will continue to suffer.<\/p>\n The question is: **Why the delay?**<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Terrorism and Politics in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa \u2014 Why the Delay? Amir Muhammad Khan Pakistan is currently passing through a period in which, despite political differences, it has become more important than ever to keep matters of national security separate from political confrontation. The situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in particular, has raised several serious questions. On […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":3235,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,507],"tags":[1220,1228,572,1221,764,1223,1219,1218,1225,1226,1227,765,1224,367,767,1222],"class_list":["post-3234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","category-pakistan","tag-afghanistan-pakistan-relations","tag-amir-muhammad-khan","tag-counterterrorism","tag-cross-border-terrorism","tag-khyber-pakhtunkhwa","tag-kp-government","tag-kp-politics","tag-kp-terrorism","tag-law-and-order","tag-national-security","tag-pakistan-politics","tag-pakistan-security","tag-political-crisis","tag-pti","tag-terrorism-in-pakistan","tag-ttp"],"gutentor_comment":0,"yoast_head":"\n