- Talat Ch accuses Imran Khan of allowing terrorists to settle in Pakistan
- Barrister Gohar dismisses remarks as “factually incorrect”
ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Friday indulged in a “war of words” blaming each other for the prevailing surge in terrorism and policy failures.
In a video message, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry launched a scathing attack on the PTI, saying that it facilitated militants during its tenure.
He said that PTI’s founder “rolled out the red carpet” for terrorists, allowing them to settle in Pakistan. “Instead of condemning terrorism, PTI seems to be encouraging it,” he said, adding that no PTI leader has ever been targeted by terrorist groups.
On other hand, speaking to a private TV, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan categorically rejected Chaudhry’s remarks about the return of the Taliban, calling them factually incorrect.
“Pakistan is currently facing a serious security crisis… this is not the time for baseless accusations,” he said, urging the government to focus on counterterrorism efforts rather than political point-scoring.
He further said official records show that decisions regarding the settlement of militants were made after July 2022, refuting claims that PTI facilitated their return during its tenure.
He also condemned Chaudhry’s statement that terrorists had not targeted PTI, calling it irresponsible. “We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and any attack on Pakistani citizens,” he added.
Separately, Chaudhry while speaking to a private TV, pointed towards Pakistan’s 2,600 km-long border with Afghanistan, saying that securing it is a shared responsibility between both nations.
He said that Afghanistan had failed to prevent cross-border infiltration, worsening Pakistan’s security situation.
He also criticised the provincial governments, saying that sensitive intelligence was often provided to provinces, and in Sindh and Punjab, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) takes action based on such information.
“During Nawaz Sharif’s tenure, all political forces stood united against terrorism, but today, we have failed to build a unified narrative,” he lamented.
Chaudhry further alleged that after 2018, the successive government failed to implement the National Action Plan (NAP), resulting in the resurgence of militant activities.
Pakistan witnessed a sharp increase in terror attacks in January 2025, surging by 42% compared to the previous month, according to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), a think tank.
