Islamabad: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has accused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi of failing to take effective measures against terrorism.

In a statement, Tarar said Sohail Afridi appeared more like a commander of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) than the chief minister of the province.

He alleged that illegal timber and tobacco trade was taking place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and claimed that politically connected individuals were involved in illegal gold mining and contracts.

The minister further alleged that proceeds from illegal mining and other activities were being used to fund terrorists.

He said this was the reason, according to him, that the provincial government was unwilling to take action against terrorists.

Tarar said a provincial government could not be allowed to facilitate terrorists while innocent citizens continued to lose their lives.

He claimed that when drones came from Afghanistan, 'these people ran away', while security forces confronted the terrorists.

Referring to the recent incident in Hangu, the minister said an injured citizen had stated that the people were not cowards and would fight terrorists once they recovered.

Tarar said citizens, security personnel and armed forces were fully mobilised to eliminate terrorism and that the entire nation was making sacrifices in the war against terrorism.

He alleged that Sohail Afridi and his associates were aligned with terrorists and urged the provincial government to stop what he described as facilitation of terrorists.

The minister also called on PTI to 'come to its senses' and work for the integrity of the country. The allegations were made by Tarar; they were not independently established in his statement. (radio.gov.pk)