Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that anyone needed to restore order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), including Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, will be placed under protective custody. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, he added that people who are wanted by authorities would also be arrested.
Naqvi also warned protesters to leave or face action, saying those caught would be dealt with accordingly. His remarks came as he set out the federal government’s position on the province’s security situation.
Federal government’s push for provincial cooperation
Naqvi said Islamabad had spent more than a month trying to bring the KP government on board with counterterrorism efforts. He said he had stayed in touch with the provincial administration and held several meetings with Afridi on the security situation.
According to the minister, the federal government’s only aim was to secure the provincial government’s participation. He said he had told the province that Islamabad would supply funds if it faced a shortfall, and that any financial requirements would be met.
Naqvi described the government’s decision on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a difficult one, adding that every necessary step would be taken to restore peace in the province.
Security figures and talks with PTI
The minister said 12 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were facing serious security challenges. He added that terrorism in the province had risen by 195 per cent over the past year and a half.
On negotiations with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Naqvi said the government had made several attempts to reach an agreement on counterterrorism measures. He claimed a draft had been finalised three times during the talks, but a different version appeared each time afterwards.
He said he remained in contact with PTI leaders until 11:45pm the previous night and invited them to suggest changes to the draft. He claimed, however, that the party’s leaders did not respond despite repeated requests.
Naqvi further said PTI had agreed during negotiations to impose an emergency in the 12 districts. He maintained that his meetings with Afridi had focused on terrorism rather than politics.
The minister also claimed that the provincial government had contacts with the Taliban. He insisted that the province and the federal government could not pursue separate policies on terrorism, and that the fight against militancy could not be carried out in isolation.
Administrative changes, Balochistan and the planned long march
Naqvi stated that no changes were being made to the administrative units of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said an additional chief secretary would be appointed under a model similar to the one used in South Punjab.
He also said the government had made progress in improving the security situation in Balochistan.
Turning to the planned long march, Naqvi said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had intended to meet opposition leaders before travelling to New York on September 17, with a request that the march be postponed. He said the prime minister and the president later agreed to form a committee for negotiations.
Naqvi said PTI leader Asad Qaiser had assured him the party would not back away from counterterrorism efforts and would work jointly with the federal government. He added that the Pakistan Peoples Party, rather than the federal government, had argued that the march should be postponed.
He closed by urging protesters to disperse, warning that the government would act against those who refused to comply.
