ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has claimed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi expressed reservations about supporting the fight against terrorism, citing concerns over the potential political cost.
Addressing a joint sitting of Parliament, Naqvi said dozens of terrorist incidents had occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, adding that the federal government had repeatedly attempted to engage with the provincial administration on the issue.
The interior minister said an Apex Committee meeting was held in Peshawar in February this year, although, according to him, arranging the meeting had proved difficult for the federal government.
He said the meeting was intended to convey a message that combating terrorism required collective efforts from the federal and provincial governments.
Naqvi urged lawmakers to review the official press release issued after the Apex Committee meeting to examine the position communicated at the time.