KP CM pledges to participate in NSC ‘for peace’; Rejects accusation; He says all problems can be resolved through negotiations.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi. Photo: Archive
ISLAMABAD:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi appeared to calm political tension on Saturday, signaling a shift from confrontation to cautious cooperation while assuring the PML-N-led federal government of his support “for the sake of peace”.
After weeks of vitriolic exchanges between KP and the Centre, Afridi, who was appointed halfway to steady the provincial ship last month, said he will attend national security forums to press KP’s case.
“I will attend a meeting of the National Security Committee,” he said, adding that he would participate in any forum run by the Center to “defend” provincial rights.
Afridi emphasized that the worsening security landscape in KP leaves little room for political grandiloquence.
“Terrorism has affected all sectors of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Anyone who martyrs our soldiers is a terrorist,” he said, adding that there would be no compromise on law and order.
His comments come at a time when KP remains the country’s frontline province in the fight against militancy, and the PTI-led provincial government has repeatedly expressed doubts over counter-terrorism operations without local consensus and dialogue.
On Saturday, the prime minister also rejected allegations that the PTI had resettled militants. “The allegation that the PTI brought the militants back is false.”
As democratically elected prime minister, he said dialogue remained his top priority. “Every problem has a solution through negotiations.”
He further rejected speculations that he had any secondary contact with the establishment regarding the release of PTI founder Imran Khan, stating that “Imran Khan will definitely be released.”
Speaking to bureau chiefs, defense reporters and senior journalists, Afridi emphasized that while KP’s difficulties were real and deep, its solutions lay in negotiations, stronger governance and more effective institutional performance.
Afridi said the KP police had full capacity to deal with terrorism, adding that approval for the procurement of modern equipment had already been granted. Resources for the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Special Branch had been increased, while recruitment criteria in the merged districts had been relaxed to expand the manpower.
Expressing concern over delays in the supply of armored vehicles, he said: “We must eliminate terrorism at all costs, but we do not want collateral damage.”
He expressed strong reservations about the federal government’s unfulfilled commitments, saying that KP’s outstanding dues had now reached almost Rs 3 trillion.
He said the merged districts had not been fully integrated, even though the KP government had provided Rs 12 billion of its own resources to support them, including Rs 2.5 billion for tribal IDPs.
Meanwhile, he said, the federal government had failed to fulfill its promise of Rs 35 billion.
He added that he also welcomes the federal audit of KP’s finances. However, he said the center should also release the province’s dues.
He warned that due to terrorism and economic pressures, poverty in the tribal districts had worsened. “If households were promised Rs 400,000 in compensation and it was never delivered, how will their trust be restored?”
Condemning the recent attacks in Wana and Islamabad, Afridi said the police chief had been ordered to fully support operations in Wana. He also revealed that his attempts to establish high-level contacts in Islamabad had gone unanswered.
Commenting on relations with Afghanistan, he said he would send a strong message in Kabul: “We are Pashtuns and Muslims, but let’s stop the attacks.”
He added that if Afghanistan does not cooperate, “we will also be justified.”
Reaffirming his loyalty to the federation, Afridi said: “Our life and death are with Pakistan. Pakistan is ours and we are Pakistan’s.”
He added that strong institutions were the key to a strong country and that, despite reservations about certain policies, the way forward was through dialogue and better policymaking.
