Imran Khan Slams "Imported" Government For Taliban Attack In Northwest Pak

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Monday blamed the coalition government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the terrorist attack in Bannu, reported Geo News.

He said the 'imported government' has failed to deal with cross-border attacks by "security forces of a 'friendly' Afghan government".

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Khan said: "Apart from running our economy to the ground, this imported government has failed to deal with the 50 per cent increase in terrorism in Pakistan with incidents from Chaman to Swat to Lakki Marwat to Bannu."

A day earlier, four police personnel were martyred and as many others wounded in an overnight terrorist attack on the Bargai Police Station of Lakki Marwat area.

Terrorists launched an armed assault on the police station from two sides. A fierce exchange of fire took place between the police and the outlaws that left four policemen dead and as many injured, reported Geo News.

The attackers escaped after the assault. Police have launched a search operation in the area for the saboteurs.

"While our soldiers, police [and] local [people] are giving daily sacrifices with their lives, the worst part is that this increasing terrorist threat [and] attacks from across our Western border are finding no space in the discourse of this government of a cabal of crooks," the former prime minister wrote referring to the incident.

He went on to say that the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government is only interested in their NRO II and its preservation, reported Geo News.

"Therefore, despite the economy tanking, they are petrified of holding elections which is the only way to stabilise the economy through political stabilisation," he said renewing his demand for fresh elections.

Notably, the talks between Pakistani officials and the leadership of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are underway in Afghanistan, confirmed Mohammad Ali Saif, a spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, reported Geo News.

Pakistani authorities opened talks to try to resolve a stand-off with the TTP, who were holding several security personnel hostage after seizing control of a counter-terrorism facility in the country's northwest, a day earlier.

"We are in negotiations with the central leaders of the Pakistani Taliban in Afghanistan," said Saif.

The spokesperson warned of strict action if the armed men do not surrender.

The wave of terrorist attacks has risen across the province in the last few months, the report said. At least 118 terrorist incidents were reported in KP from mid-August till the last week of November, according to official numbers.

At least 26 policemen, 12 personnel of other law enforcement agencies and 17 civilians were killed in terror incidents across the KP. Moreover, 18 policemen, 10 civilians, and 37 law enforcement agency personnel suffered injuries in these attacks, reported Geo News.

A dozen districts, including Peshawar, Mardan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Kohat, Bannu, and Nowshera came under attack in November.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)