Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi addresses a jirga in Peshawar on Monday. SCREEN CAPTURE
PESHAWAR:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Monday promised that the provincial government would not abandon families displaced from Tirah due to military operations, saying the tribal people had made immense sacrifices for the country.
Addressing a jirga of elders and notables from Peshawar’s Khyber district, Afridi said there was an organized mentality that did not want Pashtuns, particularly tribal communities, to become part of the national mainstream. “The mentality that has been formed against us for 75 years does not recognize our existence,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that shortly after his election what he described as misleading and negative propaganda was launched against him. Afridi called such actions against an elected prime minister regrettable and said public support had helped him defeat “every negative narrative.”
“I have promised my people that I will give them the pen instead of the gun,” he said. “We will be on the front line for the country’s defense and will not hesitate to make any sacrifice. When my nation goes through a difficult time, I stand by them like a rock.”
Afridi credited Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s jailed founder Imran Khan for creating political awareness among people, saying he had helped the public distinguish between truth and hypocrisy. He added that the entire nation was united in supporting the displaced people of Tirah.
Read: Operation Tirah driven by politics: Afridi
The prime minister said there was consensus among political parties and schools of thought in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa that military operations were not a solution. “We want the elimination of terrorism. We are peace-loving people and we want the restoration of peace,” he said. “After 22 major operations and 14,000 small ones, what guarantee is there now that peace can be established?”
Afridi said decisions taken behind closed doors and imposed on Tirah would not yield results. “Decisions are being made without trust in the provincial government. If they had consulted us, they would have taken trust in the nation and worked by consensus,” he said, alleging that the operation was launched through force, coercion and vandalism.
During the jirga, the elders discussed the law and order situation in Khyber district and the difficulties faced by displaced families. They presented suggestions to restore peace and ensure dignified resettlement of those affected by Tirah. The prime minister directed officials to provide all possible facilities to the displaced families.
Read more: Thousands displaced as crisis deepens in Tirah
On Saturday, Afridi criticized Operation Tirah in a message on
“Tirah is my home. Its people are mine,” he said, adding that the current actions were a failed attempt to distance the local population from him due to his firm stance on the issue.
