Security czar says KP govt backed out of security commitments during final phase of talks

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa backed out of its security commitment during the last phase of negotiations with the federal government.

In a post on X, the security czar said that the provincial government had agreed to sign a written agreement and submit an implementation plan within 72 hours, covering security and counterterrorism operations.

According to Naqvi, the KP government had agreed to the reconsideration of the Police Act 2026 in light of the security situation and the need to protect security matters from political interference.

The PTI-backed government also agreed to take measures to prevent terrorists from operating freely or finding safe havens across KP, he said.

The Imran Khan-founded party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led federal government held two rounds of negotiations on Friday and Saturday to prevent the party's long march towards Islamabad.

The former ruling party had previously postponed the protest from September 27 to October 4, while government officials had repeatedly warned that the march would not be allowed to enter Islamabad.

The two rounds of talks between the federal government and PTI ended without an agreement after disagreements on key issues, including access to jailed PTI founder and military operations in KP's restive areas.

The interior minister — who was part of the talks — said that the KP government had agreed to unequivocally condemn outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and all other terrorist groups.

According to Naqvi, the provincial government had also agreed to support national policy on Afghan refugees, including repatriation and dismantling Afghan camps in KP.

He maintained that the KP government had also agreed to have no contact with the Afghan Taliban regime, substantial funding for counterterrorism operations and police, full provincial ownership of counterterrorism measures, and stronger cooperation with the armed forces.

Naqvi said that the provincial government had also pledged to take decisions regarding counterterrorism in the erstwhile Fata and merged districts, and implement of the National Action Plan.

"Last night, during the final phase of negotiations, the KP Government backed out of these commitments," he wrote in the post.

The interior minister emphasised that security must not be politicised while the "province is at war".

From 95% deal to deadlock

Talks between the government and opposition broke down on Saturday, with the two sides failing to reach consensus on key issues and no agreement.

Following the talks, PTI leader Salman Akram Raja said the sides could not agree on the basic issues under discussion, while Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said differences remained over a meeting with jailed PTI founder and access to his personal doctor.

"Our position was that we could move forward towards a point on which both sides could agree," Salman said.

Abbas said the opposition had also sought clarity over military operations in areas hosting internally displaced persons (IDPs). He said the government had indicated that it was not currently in a position to arrange a meeting with Khan, although meetings between his sisters and lawyers would be allowed to begin.

The impasse followed several changes to a draft agreement.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sherry Rehman said the draft had been revised four times and the government had heard the PTI's concerns, but stressed that there could be no compromise on terrorism.

"They have refused agreement on the long march and other things," Sherry said. The government's position centred on counterterrorism and the role of the KP government.

The developments came hours after a member of the negotiating committee had said the government and opposition had agreed on around 95% of the issues and expected to settle the remaining one or two points during the night.

The two sides had been working on a written draft agreement, but subsequent statements from both camps made clear that fundamental differences remained.

KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi later announced the start of the PTI's long march towards Islamabad.

In a post on X, Afridi said the first phase of the march would begin from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat at 1pm on Sunday, with participants from Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat joining the convoy.