PESHAWAR: The postponement of long march carries no substantive weight because the core and fundamental issue remains Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s complete detachment from terrorism and complicity in security oversights.
The citizens of the province pay the ultimate price of terrorism with their blood on a daily basis, yet public safety is noticeably absent from the provincial government’s priorities.
The Chief Minister has failed to visit heavily affected districts such as North and South Waziristan, Mohmand, and Orakzai to date, nor has he participated in the funeral prayers of the martyrs.
The holding of merely a single formal Apex Committee meeting throughout the entire tenure stands as clear proof that terrorism is simply not on this administration’s agenda.
While mourning blankets the homes of the martyrs, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) leadership remains occupied with planning political rallies and long marches.
Refusing to adopt a clear stance against extremist elements and implementing measures that weaken police capacity reflects deliberate apathy rather than mere negligence.
In this context, whether the postponement of long march remains in effect or proceeds, the fundamental question persists: who will take responsibility for protecting the lives and property of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
Political Narrative, Criticism of Security Forces, and Impediments to the Counter-Terrorism Narrative
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) overall political narrative has consistently centered on criticizing state security institutions and undermining the national counter-terrorism consensus.
Targeting national security apparatuses for political gains and viewing the sacrifices of military and law enforcement personnel through a political lens constitutes a detrimental approach against the state.
Whenever a decisive or unified framework is established against terrorism within the country, statements and actions from the PTI leadership frequently serve to weaken the ongoing state narrative against militants.
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Achieving eradication of the scourge of terrorism demands complete national solidarity and alignment with state institutions; however, regional priorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are instead placed above security requirements, meaning even the postponement of long march fails to conceal this underlying policy failure.
