WEBDESK: Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Information, Broadcasting, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Affairs, Ikhtiar Wali Khan, has strongly criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its founder Imran Khan. He accused the party of backing India’s narrative by choosing 5 August for political activity.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Ikhtiar Wali said the PTI’s protest call on this sensitive date is a direct attack on the Kashmir cause.
“August 5 is a black day in our history. In 2019, India revoked the special constitutional status of Indian-occupied Kashmir and increased oppression against the Kashmiri people. Choosing this day for political activity is like adding salt to the wounds of Kashmiris,” Wali stated.
He accused Imran Khan of using this date to promote India’s propaganda. “This is no political movement. It’s an act of national betrayal,” he said.
“While the entire nation stands with Kashmir on 5 August, PTI and its founder will be standing with India,” he added.
Ikhtiar Wali Khan Accused PTI of Proxy Politics
Ikhtiar Wali further claimed that PTI’s politics have become limited to Bani Gala and carry no vision for public service. “It’s unfortunate that Imran Khan’s statements sound more like New Delhi’s than Pakistan’s,” he remarked.
He called PTI’s actions part of a proxy war against Pakistan, meant to weaken the country from within.
Turning to the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, Wali pointed to a recent Gallup survey that, he said, revealed KP as the province with the highest corruption rates in Pakistan.
He alleged that government jobs are being sold and development funds are disappearing into corrupt pockets.
“In 13 years of PTI rule, not a single new hospital, school, or basic health centre has been built in KP. If there are playgrounds or youth centres, then where are they? Because the people don’t see them,” he questioned.
Ikhtiar Wali Khan Praised Federal and Punjab Governments
Ikhtiar Wali praised the federal government under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Punjab administration led by Maryam Nawaz. He said Punjab has quickly completed key projects in health, education, infrastructure, and transport.
He added that 85% of KP residents, according to Gallup, now want their provincial government to cooperate with the federal government.
Addressing claims about Imran Khan’s imprisonment, Wali rejected the idea that Khan is being mistreated. “He is not in solitary confinement. He’s in a comfortable environment,” Wali said.
He sarcastically asked whether they should arrange a music show, circus, or send Ali Amin Gandapur to entertain him.
He compared Khan’s treatment with what PML-N leaders faced in jail, stating, “Our leaders were thrown into cells with snakes and scorpions. Even Maryam Nawaz was arrested. But we never called for rebellion or attacked state institutions.”
He emphasised that the federal government is dealing with Imran Khan according to the law and constitution, without personal vendettas.
In his closing remarks, Ikhtiar Wali urged the people to choose between standing with Kashmir or its enemies.
He said, “The state, the government, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stand firmly with our Kashmiri brothers. Neither Modi nor his allies will be allowed to succeed.”
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