1 day ago
Punjab CM Warns Provincial Borders Pose Greater Terror Threat
Punjab’s chief minister said her province is more worried about attacks coming from nearby Pakistani provinces than from other countries.
She especially mentioned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Punjab.
She said Punjab has stayed safe so far.
Asad Qaisar, a leader from the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, disagreed with her words.
He said people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its police have suffered greatly while fighting terrorism.
He argued that Maryam should show support instead of criticizing the province.
Mohsin Dawar also criticized her and said Punjab’s powerful leaders helped create the terrorism problem.
The disagreement reflects wider tensions between provinces in Pakistan.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said her province faces greater security threats from adjoining provinces than neighboring countries.
She mainly cited Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying terrorism enters Punjab through its provincial borders.
Maryam said Punjab remains safe despite threats from all of its provincial borders.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Asad Qaisar called her remarks about Khyber Pakhtunkhwa insulting and shameful.
Mohsin Dawar said Punjab’s political elite helped create the terrorism now affecting the province.
- Who
- Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Asad Qaisar, and National Democratic Movement President Mohsin Dawar.
- What
- A dispute over Maryam Nawaz’s claim that Punjab faces greater terrorism threats from adjoining Pakistani provinces than from neighboring countries.
- Where
- The remarks were made at an event in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
- When
- Saturday, according to the report.
- Why
- Maryam said terrorism enters Punjab through its provincial borders, while her critics said the remarks ignored Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s sacrifices and worsened provincial resentment.
Punjab Government’s Security View
Critics’ Provincial Grievance View
Source of the threat
Punjab Government’s Security View
Maryam Nawaz said Punjab faces more danger from adjoining Pakistani provinces than from neighboring countries, particularly because terrorism enters through provincial borders.
Critics’ Provincial Grievance View
Her critics rejected the framing and argued that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is itself suffering from terrorism and should not be portrayed primarily as its source.
Treatment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Punjab Government’s Security View
Maryam said threats come from all of Punjab’s provincial borders and that the province has remained safe despite them.
Critics’ Provincial Grievance View
Asad Qaisar said her remarks mocked the suffering of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s people, police, and families of those killed, while Mohsin Dawar called them insulting.
Responsibility for terrorism
Punjab Government’s Security View
The Punjab chief minister focused on the movement of terrorism into Punjab from adjoining provinces.
Critics’ Provincial Grievance View
Mohsin Dawar argued that Punjab’s own political elite helped engineer the terrorism that is now affecting Punjab, while Asad Qaisar blamed flawed policies by the federal government and earlier governments.
Key facts
- Province discussed
- Punjab
- Punjab population cited
- About 130 million
- Main adjoining province mentioned
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Other province facing increased terrorism
- Balochistan
- Neighboring country mentioned
- India
- Speaker location
- Lahore
- Political response
- Opposition figures condemned the remarks and highlighted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s suffering and security sacrifices.
Quotes
Maryam Nawaz
Chief Minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province
“Terrorism enters Punjab through its provincial borders. The unfortunate thing is that the threat Punjab, a province of 130 million, faces comes less from my neighbouring countries and more from my neighbouring provinces.”
CNBC TV 18
“Terrorism enters Punjab from there. Everyone has their eyes on Punjab, but, thank God, Punjab remains safe. The kinds of threats we face come from all our provincial borders.”
CNBC TV 18
Sources
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