Information Minister Attaullah Tarar blamed the PTI for the recent rise in terrorism in Pakistan. He spoke at a Lahore press conference with religious leaders, showing unity after Friday’s suicide attack at an imambargah in Islamabad. When asked if the attack was a failure of security agencies, Tarar said, “No, not at all.” He praised Pakistan’s security institutions, citing incidents like the Jaffar Express rescue and the May 2025 Pak-India conflict when the enemy was forced to seek mediation. Tarar called the Islamabad attack tragic but denied it was a security failure. He recalled past operations like Raddul Fasaad and Zarb-i-Azb that stopped suicide bombings and restored peace in Karachi. The minister indirectly referred to ex-PM Imran Khan’s plan to settle TTP fighters in peaceful areas. He said, “That same thinking of Taliban Khan; we are paying for that same thinking.” Smiling, Tarar said the PTI was behind the return of terrorism. The PTI responded sharply. Its official X account said: “A day after a horrific terror attack, the information minister chose to joke, recite a hateful rhyme, and smile at a press conference.” They called the remark a sign of the government’s poor regard for people. Another PTI post said, “They have been in government four years, but this joker smiling while blaming PTI shows what kind of people run the government.” The row highlights rising tensions amid security concerns in Pakistan.