Tarar slams Imran Khan’s sisters for interviews on Indian TV

Pakistan’s information minister Attaullah Tarar castigated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s sisters for recently appearing on Indian television channels, arguing their interviews harmed the country’s image and amplified anti-Pakistan narratives.

Briefing reporters in Lahore on Sunday, Tarar said the sisters failed to raise core issues such as Kashmir and instead defended a person facing a £190 million corruption case. He called their media appearances “shameful” and unhelpful for Pakistan.

Turning to governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he alleged large-scale use of non-custom-paid vehicles, illegal mining and the presence of a major drug cartel, claiming these trends were draining revenues. He said better taxation of the tobacco sector alone could yield substantial income for the state.

Tarar linked law-and-order challenges to what he described as a “political–terror–crime nexus” and said security forces had responded forcefully to infiltration attempts from Afghanistan.

He also maintained the government had stabilised the economy, citing lower inflation and improved foreign exchange reserves, and accused PTI leaders of lacking any coherent economic policy while again referencing the May 9 events to criticise the party’s conduct.