PPP accuses KP CM of helping TTP amid political tensions

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has launched a sharp attack on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, accusing him of using the issue of PTI founder Imran Khan’s release to advance what the party described as a dangerous agenda linked to militancy.

PPP Deputy Information Secretary Ahsan Rizvi made the allegations in a video statement issued on Wednesday, questioning Afridi’s intentions and his proposed political activities.

Rizvi alleged that the KP chief minister was not genuinely seeking Imran Khan’s release but was instead attempting to create a route for the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups towards Islamabad.

The PPP leader said Afridi was failing to represent the interests of millions of Pashtuns in KP and accused him of effectively acting as a political voice for the Taliban.

PPP warns against long march

Rizvi also criticised the proposed long march, alleging that criminal and militant elements could exploit the gathering to enter the federal capital.

He claimed the march could provide cover for drug dealers, smugglers, car thieves, arms traffickers and Taliban-linked groups. He urged authorities to ensure that Afghan groups were not allowed to use any political activity as a means to advance towards Islamabad.

The PPP official further accused Afridi of failing to publicly condemn the deaths of soldiers, Frontier Corps personnel and police officers killed in terrorist attacks.

Rizvi linked the current political situation to Pakistan’s history, invoking the 1971 fall of Dhaka and drawing comparisons between Afridi and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He alleged that similar conspiracies were now being pursued in KP and Balochistan.

He also accused PTI’s KP leadership of assuming a role comparable to the Mukti Bahini, while alleging foreign backing. These claims were part of Rizvi’s political statement and were not accompanied by independent evidence.

PPP defends Zardari and Bhutto

Rizvi rejected Afridi’s criticism of former president Asif Ali Zardari and PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, describing the KP chief minister’s remarks as evidence of political immaturity.

He credited Zardari with securing KP’s provincial identity and ensuring its share of national resources through the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.

Rizvi also highlighted PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s role in persuading the government to open negotiations, saying the dialogue had offered PTI an opportunity to resolve the political dispute and avoid further confrontation.

However, he said the opportunity had not been utilised.

The PPP official concluded by drawing a distinction between political disagreements and matters of national security. He said political parties could continue to differ over governance and elections, but terrorism and attacks on state institutions required a united national response.

Rizvi urged political forces to place national interests above partisan considerations, particularly as security challenges continue to affect KP and other parts of the country.