Pakistans PM Acknowledges Resettlement of Militants, Sparking Controversy

New Delhi, November 2 (Daily Kiran) : Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif of Pakistan has made a startling admission regarding the resettlement of militants within the country. His statement has raised significant concerns about Pakistan’s anti-terrorism policies and the roles of previous governments in national security. During a meeting with party officials from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 31, Sharif revealed that militants were brought back to Pakistan from Afghanistan and settled in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in 2019 and 2020.

Sharif claimed that this resettlement led to a resurgence of terrorism in Pakistan, resulting in substantial loss of life and property. However, he shifted the blame for this situation onto the previous government led by Imran Khan. This admission is particularly significant as Pakistan has faced ongoing international criticism regarding its handling of terrorism. The Prime Minister’s acknowledgment that militants returned and were resettled raises questions about the extent of the government’s involvement and the roles of security agencies.

Sharif emphasized that during Nawaz Sharif’s tenure, collective efforts had significantly reduced terrorism, with improvements noted until 2018. However, he argued that the return and resettlement of these militants disrupted the security situation once again. This leads to a critical question: if decisive action had been taken against terrorism, why was there a need to bring back and resettle militants? Was this a political decision, or was there a broader security strategy at play? Furthermore, did the intelligence agencies and security establishments have prior knowledge of this process?

The Prime Minister pointed fingers at Imran Khan’s government for the current state of affairs, but given the military’s influential role in Pakistan’s politics, it raises doubts about whether it is sufficient to solely hold the elected government accountable for such sensitive issues. Sharif also questioned the financial resources allocated to combat terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, noting that the province had received approximately 800 billion Pakistani Rupees under the National Finance Commission (NFC) award since 2010. He asked how many safe city projects were established and how effectively the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) was strengthened.

Additionally, he highlighted the issue of thousands of vacant police positions in the province, where reports suggest around 8,000 police posts remain unfilled. This raises concerns about the adequacy of police resources in a region continually threatened by terrorism.

Another contradiction arises from Sharif’s statements: while blaming the previous government for the return of militants, he simultaneously questioned the expenditure of the 800 billion Rupees allocated to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Questions remain about the central government’s role during the militants’ return, the involvement of security establishments, and who oversaw the resettlement process.

Sharif reflected on Pakistan’s long struggle against terrorism, stating that the nation has lost around 80,000 lives and incurred economic losses between 150 to 200 billion dollars. He recalled the tragic attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar, describing the murder of innocent children as one of the most painful events in Pakistan’s history.

He acknowledged the sacrifices of the people, police, army, and security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, asserting that the fight against terrorism is a collective responsibility of the entire nation, not just one political party. However, if such a high price has been paid in the fight against terrorism, the need to reassess past security policies becomes crucial. Blaming political parties does not address how militants were allowed to regain a foothold.

In response to Sharif’s allegations, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has criticized him, stating that he lacks the moral authority to lecture on democracy and governance. They accused the federal government of shifting the blame for the deteriorating security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa onto the elected provincial government. The PTI claimed that during Imran Khan’s tenure, peace and stability were better maintained in the province and that the federal government failed to provide necessary resources and tools for anti-terrorism operations.

Sharif justified the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as unavoidable, citing the deteriorating security and administrative situation as the reason for the federal government’s actions. However, the PTI has already accused the federal government of undermining political rights and provincial autonomy.

India has long expressed concerns over terrorist networks operating from Pakistan and cross-border terrorism. Sharif’s recent statement once again raises fundamental questions about whether Pakistan is genuinely willing to take responsibility for combating terrorism and whether it can acknowledge the flaws in its policies that have allowed terrorist organizations to flourish.