Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Friday branded the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) a “political wing” of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), condemning the party of avoiding clear condemnation of militant violence.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside PML-N leader Zahid Khan, Tarar said PTI leaders “falter when speaking” about the outlawed group and show “leniency towards terrorists.”
His remarks came a day after PTI rejected claims of non-cooperation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on counterterrorism.
Tarar said terrorism had been effectively curbed in KP after Operation Zarb-e-Azb, but argued the province later suffered due to “poor governance” under PTI’s 12-year rule.
He claimed governance standards declined and dismissed what he called “false claims” by a PTI leader about building Lady Reading Hospital.
He also compared development across provinces, saying Punjab’s progress was visible while Sindh and Balochistan also had projects underway but KP “lagged behind.”
He added that health and education in KP were in “decline due to negligence.”
Zahid Khan said he had never seen a chief minister personally running a political movement, noting that past protests were led by party figures.
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