KP govt backtracked on security deal: Naqvi

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has accused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of withdrawing several security-related commitments during the final stage of negotiations between the federal government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

In a statement on Sunday, Naqvi said the provincial government had initially agreed to sign a written agreement and present an implementation plan within 72 hours. The proposed plan covered security arrangements and counterterrorism measures across the province.

According to the interior minister, the KP government had also agreed to reconsider the Police Act 2026 in view of the deteriorating security situation and to ensure that security matters remained protected from political interference.

Naqvi said the provincial administration had committed to preventing militant groups from operating freely and establishing safe havens in different parts of KP.

The government and PTI held two rounds of negotiations on Friday and Saturday in an effort to defuse tensions over the party’s planned march towards Islamabad. However, the talks ended without a final agreement as differences persisted over several key issues.

The interior minister claimed the KP government had agreed to publicly condemn the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other militant organisations. It had also agreed to support the federal policy regarding Afghan refugees, including their repatriation and the removal of refugee camps in the province.

Other commitments reportedly included increased funding for police and counterterrorism operations, greater provincial responsibility for security measures, closer coordination with the armed forces and implementation of the National Action Plan in the former tribal areas and merged districts.

Naqvi said the provincial government backed away from these commitments during the final phase of negotiations. He stressed that security should not become a political issue, particularly when the province was facing serious security challenges.

The breakdown in talks followed disagreements over access to PTI founder Imran Khan, military operations in areas affected by displacement and other political demands. PTI representatives said they were unable to reach consensus on the core issues.

Although government representatives had earlier suggested that most points in the draft agreement had been settled, repeated revisions failed to bridge the remaining differences.