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KP government ‘deliberately evading’ constitutional duty to maintain law & order: Tarar

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Friday said the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was “deliberately evading” its constitutional responsibility to maintain law and order in the province.

Talking to media here, Tarar said KP government was “playing the role of a facilitator for terrorists” rather than confronting them.

Terming law and order a provincial subject, he said it was incumbent upon the KP government to address the deteriorating security situation.

The minister questioned why a provincial government, which had an absolute control over its territory, would choose not to act against militancy.

In fact, there is a “political-terror and crime nexus” built around illegal mining and the timber trade, he said.

Tarar pointed out that militancy prevailed in the province because in connivance between the politicians and terrorists, adding that the provincial politicians were “on the front” funding terrorist networks through illegal contracts and trade.

He said PTI not only abstained from condemning terrorists operating in the province but avoided taking any action against them.

The minister said when security forces came under attack from across the border in Kurram, PTI leaders did not visit the area to express solidarity with the armed forces, nor issued any statement of condemnation.

“This is an indication of their cowardice,” Tarar said, adding that this tantamounted to facilitating terrorism.

He also linked such cowardice to the PTI’s decision to call off its planned long march to Islamabad, and said the party lacked the preparation in this regard.

He said 2,456 terrorist attacks had taken place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2026 alone, an average of roughly 10 attacks a day. He said 472 personnel of various law enforcement agencies were martyred in these attacks, while around 1,500 others had been injured.

“If a provincial government does not want to curb terrorism, this cannot be justified,” he said, adding that in both the Kurram and Kohat incidents, only our forces stood while the provincial government “ran away.”

Recalling his visit to Kohat to inquire after an injured person, Tarar quoted the person as telling him that “the provincial government might be coward, but we are not. We will fight these terrorists in a befitting way.”

Tarar also lashed out at the KP government for its recent legislation related to policing, saying that instead of introducing police reforms, it had brought a law to make the police a political force. This law is intended to turn the police into a facilitator for terrorists, he added.

He affirmed that Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies remained fully committed to counterterrorism, and warned that terrorists would eventually be rooted out from the country.

He cautioned the PTI leadership against facilitating terrorists “financially and morally” and urged the party to “come back to their senses and work for national interest.”

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Health minister orders probe into Sindh MDCAT complaints

ISLAMABAD:Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal has taken notice of alleged irregularities in the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) held in Sindh and ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the complaints.

According to official sources, the minister directed a five-member committee, including the President of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), to conduct a transparent investigation and submit its report within 15 days.

The committee has been tasked with examining the complaints and reviewing the circumstances surrounding the alleged irregularities during the examination, sources said.

The minister directed the committee to complete the inquiry within the stipulated timeframe and present its findings for further action in accordance with the applicable rules.

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CDA chairman directs faster work on Expressway East project

ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Sohail Ashraf has directed officials to accelerate work on the Islamabad Expressway Service Road East project while ensuring strict compliance with approved designs and construction standards.

During an inspection of the project on Saturday, the chairman reviewed progress and was briefed on ongoing works and the next phase of development.

He directed the project director and relevant departments to maintain continuous field monitoring and quality control and ensure effective traffic management to minimise inconvenience to commuters.

The chairman described the Expressway East project as an important infrastructure scheme for improving connectivity, traffic flow and road capacity in the capital. He also stressed that construction quality should not be compromised in efforts to meet the project timeline.

During the visit, he was also briefed on an ongoing enforcement operation against unauthorised and illegal construction along the Islamabad Expressway.

According to the CDA, 377 buildings have been identified for action, including 281 commercial structures. So far, 58 buildings have been sealed, while 124 buildings between Sohan and Khanna bridges have been marked for demolition.

The authority said Rs234.685 million had been recovered through land-use conversion, unauthorised construction and de-sealing charges. Around Rs3 billion remained recoverable under applicable regulations in connection with land-use conversion and violations relating to unauthorised construction, setbacks, floor area ratio and covered area.

The chairman directed the relevant departments to ensure strict enforcement of building-control and land-use regulations, particularly mandatory fire-safety requirements.

The enforcement operation is being conducted by the CDA’s Building Control Section and Enforcement Directorate in coordination with the district administration and Islamabad police.

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GB ministers call on Governor Kundi

PESHAWAR: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Saturday held a meeting with a delegation of Gilgit-Baltistan ministers at the Governor’s House here and discussed the country’s political situation and other matters of mutual interest.

The delegation comprised Gilgit-Baltistan Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Zulfiqar Ali Murad, Minister for Health Iqbal Hassan and Minister for Education Aman Ali Ameer.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the prevailing political situation in the country and various issues of mutual interest. They also discussed the recent elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and the Pakistan Peoples Party’s success in the polls.

The visiting ministers were taken on a tour of the Governor’s House. Governor Kundi presented them with traditional shawls and caps.