Peshawar:
In Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a local cricket match has sparked controversy after the religious political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) invited a commander of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as the chief guest.
According to local sources, the event took place in the Khyber district, where JUI leaders reportedly invited the TTP commander to attend the match. The commander was given a special seat and even addressed the crowd during the ceremony.
This move has drawn strong criticism from citizens, social activists, and political observers, who called it an insensitive and dangerous act, especially given the group’s violent history.
Reports show that in the past two years, TTP attacks have killed at least 3,841 Pakistanis, including civilians and security personnel. The group has been most active in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan during this period.
Analysts say that at a time when Pakistan continues to fight terrorism, any association or public acknowledgment of members from banned militant groups is against national security interests.
So far, JUI’s local leadership has not released any official statement about the incident.
Experts warn that such incidents could pose serious challenges for the government and security agencies, especially as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains one of the provinces most affected by terrorism.