Lahore, February 7 – Pakistan’s security landscape continues to unravel amid a spate of bombings and shootings that have become alarmingly routine. As innocent civilians bear the brunt of escalating terrorist violence, political leaders are locked in a bitter blame game. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar pointed fingers squarely at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for the rise in attacks, prompting a fiery rebuttal from PTI, which dismissed his remarks as ‘hate-filled’ rhetoric.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad on Saturday, following a devastating suicide bombing at an Imambargah the previous day, Tarar smirked while referring to former Prime Minister Imran Khan as ‘Taliban Khan.’ The minister’s comments came as he defended the government’s security apparatus against accusations of failure.
When pressed by a reporter on whether the blast exposed lapses in intelligence, Tarar was unequivocal: ‘No, absolutely not.’ He acknowledged the tragedy in the capital’s outskirts despite the Safe City surveillance system and robust security measures but insisted it did not signal systemic breakdowns.
Tarar took a swipe at PTI’s past tenure, reminding attendees of successful anti-terror operations like Radd-ul-Fasaad and Zarb-e-Azb, which had curbed suicide bombings and restored peace in Karachi. ‘Then came a government,’ he said, alluding to PTI without naming it directly, ‘that called terrorists ‘peaceful brothers’ and resettled them in populated areas.’
The minister’s pointed reference was to Imran Khan’s alleged plans to integrate thousands of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters into society. ‘We’re paying the price for Taliban Khan’s mindset today,’ Tarar declared, emphasizing that the state had previously expelled and eliminated terrorists effectively.
In a mocking tone, he added that the resurgence of terrorism could be traced back to PTI’s influence. PTI hit back hard on social media, condemning Tarar for joking and reciting hateful poetry just a day after the deadly attack. ‘This shows how little they care for the Pakistani people,’ the party posted from its official account.
Another PTI statement branded Tarar a ‘joker,’ criticizing the four-year-old government’s reliance on such figures. ‘His smiling accusations against PTI prove how poorly the nation is being led,’ it read. The exchange underscores deepening political rifts amid Pakistan’s mounting security crisis, leaving the public caught in the crossfire of rhetoric and reality.