KP govt failed to provide leadership, resources to security forces, says Talal Chaudhry

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Talal Chaudhry said political leadership could provide three key things in the fight against terrorism — leadership, resources and authority. He alleged that the KP government had failed to provide these to security forces.

Chaudhry said the provincial government was responsible for allocating funds for counterterrorism through its budget and questioned why adequate resources had not been provided to the security forces.

He claimed that the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) was still not fully functional across the province and that security personnel lacked essential equipment and facilities, including bulletproof jackets, vehicles, training, Safe City projects and forensic laboratories.

The minister also alleged that the KP government had failed to provide effective leadership to security forces over the years and had instead created space for terrorists. His remarks came amid federal criticism of the provincial government’s proposed changes to the KP police command structure.

Chaudhry criticised the KP leadership’s response to recent terrorist attacks, saying Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and the provincial information minister did not attend the funeral prayers of victims of the recent Kohat blast. He alleged that the provincial leadership was instead focused on political activities.

He also questioned the KP government’s stance on Afghanistan and urged it to openly condemn the use of Afghan territory for cross-border terrorism. Chaudhry said Pakistan had used every available channel, including dialogue, dossiers and international forums, to convey its concerns to Kabul, but the issue had remained unresolved.

He said terrorist proxies were being financed from the eastern border while their hideouts were located on the western border. Meanwhile, Attaullah Tarar also criticised the KP government over its response to terrorism, alleging that it had failed to take adequate measures to maintain law and order in the province.

Tarar recently claimed that 2,456 terrorist incidents had occurred in KP during 2026, resulting in the deaths of 472 civilians and security personnel and injuries to more than 1,500 people. These figures were presented by the minister during a press conference and were reported as his claims.

Tarar alleged that the provincial government had facilitated terrorists and questioned its handling of counterterrorism resources. He also called for greater focus on equipping and protecting police and security personnel. The federal ministers’ remarks come amid continuing tensions between the federal and KP governments over security responsibilities, counterterrorism measures, police resources and the provincial government’s approach to law and order.