Talal Chaudhry urges PTI to learn from past

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to learn from past experiences, saying Pakistan cannot afford further political confrontation and unrest.

Chaudhry said the government wanted a change in political thinking rather than a change of chief minister in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He referred to the recent attack in Kohat, where 16 people were killed, and questioned the absence of the provincial chief minister from the province at the time.

He said the government had made preparations for the expected PTI protest to show that the state could take extensive measures when necessary. According to Chaudhry, political parties have the right to hold rallies and protests, but that right comes with certain conditions.

The minister said progress in the fight against terrorism would remain difficult without improving the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said political forces would need to support security agencies in their efforts against militants.

Chaudhry also criticised the provincial government’s performance and said PTI had governed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for around 14 years. He called for a comparison between the province and other parts of the country.

He claimed that a large number of patients treated at hospitals in Islamabad come from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He also raised allegations of corruption while discussing governance and security challenges in the province.

PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai rejected the government’s position and criticised the restrictions imposed ahead of the party’s planned long march.

Yousafzai said the PTI protest would have required the closure of only one or two roads in Islamabad. He claimed the government had instead blocked major roads in the capital and closed several motorways.

He said residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and security personnel had made sacrifices in the fight against terrorism. He also questioned criticism of the provincial government, pointing out that terrorism was also taking place in Balochistan, where PTI was not in power.

Yousafzai said PTI would continue its protest even if the provincial government was removed or governor’s rule was imposed. He maintained that political movements could not be ended through force.