Former Prime Minister Imran Khan Holds Federal Government and Agencies Accountable for Rising Terrorism in Swat

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan Holds Federal Government and Agencies Accountable for Rising Terrorism in Swat

14-10-2022

Catherine Yu 

Pakistan & Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

Imran Khan former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) politcal party chairman, spoke out on Thursday at a workers’ convention in Charsadda in response to the uptick in terrorist attacks in Swat. With the intention of holding the federal government and its agencies accountable for the recent rise in activities, Imran asserted that the federal government's failure to take action to stop the movement of terrorist through their borders was due to a shift in priority. Imran remarked that the federal government was rather preoccupied with “securing acquittals in cases against its members. Indulging in corruption and creating political cases against opponents” (Khan, 2022). Imran assured Mahmood Khan, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, that if the federal government does not intend to accept accountability for the recent terrorist attacks, "let us take it, we will stand against terrorism", further urging the people to support the PTI in the upcoming by-election to warrant the party's victory (Khan, 2022).

Additionally, on Monday, another attack on a school van left the driver dead and two students injured in Swat's Charbagh district. Prior to the attack, residents of Swat held weekly anti-terrorism marches. Agitated by the authorities' continued lack of accountability and action, the people of Swat demanded that these individuals are to be arrested. If this demand is not met within 24 hours, a march to Islamabad will take place. 






Sources and further reading:

DAWN. (2022, October 13). Imran holds Govt, agencies responsible for rising terrorism in Swat. DAWN.COM. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://www.dawn.com/news/1714835/imran-holds-govt-agencies-responsible-for-rising-terrorism-in-swat   

Khan, I. (2022) Dawn. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://www.dawn.com/news/1714835/imran-holds-govt-agencies-responsible-for-rising-terrorism-in-swat