ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Monday defended Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government's budget allocation of Rs300 million for religious seminary Darul Uloom Haqqania.

In an interview with Geo News, Imran Khan said the funds and support will help the seminary students assimilate in our society, bring them in to the mainstream and keep them away from radicalisation.

"The same Darul Uloom was supported and financed by ANP, even the late Wali Khan went there," said the PTI chief.

Related: ANP for joint action by Pakistan, Afghanistan against terrorists

Imran elaborated that when the Taliban were opposing the anti-polio campaign in the province and were killing polio workers, Maulana Samiul Haq (head of Darul Uloom Haqqania) supported him and launched a polio-immunisation campaign.

'Extortion calls coming from Afghanistan'

Answering a question regarding the law and order situation in KP, Imran Khan claimed that calls for extortion come from the neighbouring Afghanistan.

"This is a problem and we are working with ISI on this issue, these calls come from Afghan registered SIMs, we also discussed this issue with the Afghan ambassador," said the PTI chief.

Also Read: Afghan refugee camps 'safe havens' for terrorists: Aziz‏

He said that KP government's issue is that the province is surrounded by federally administered tribal areas (FATA) and the KP administration needs Frontier Constabulary to prevent miscreants from tribal areas from entering the province.

"I think that FATA's status should be changed and it should be made a part of KP," said Imran Khan, adding that KP cannot see peace until FATA becomes peaceful.

The KP government set aside a grant of Rs300 million for the construction and rehabilitation of the Darul Uloom Haqqania in Akora, Khattak, in the annual provincial budget for the upcoming fiscal year angering both Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

The seminary, located in Nowshera district and currently run by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Sami chief Maulana Samiul Haq, has faced controversy in the past as its students have been accused of involvement in the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

However, the seminary administration denied having any connection with the suspects.

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...