Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi has welcomed recent diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between the United States and Iran as a positive step towards sustainable peace and regional stability, while praising Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting dialogue and peaceful engagement. He stated that this has been the policy and vision of illegally imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan from day one, noting that he always advocated dialogue on war, adding that today’s world events are validating his statesmanship and strategic foresight. Speaking during a Parliamentary Party meeting at the Chief Minister House, Afridi said the growing international preference for dialogue over military confrontation strongly validates Imran Khan’s long-standing advocacy for peace through negotiations, while highlighting what he described as the profound injustice of the former prime minister’s continued detention.
"History has vindicated Imran Khan’s position," the Chief Minister said, recalling that throughout the two decades of war in Afghanistan, Khan had repeatedly urged the international community to give peace a chance, warning that military intervention alone could never bring lasting stability. On the economic front, the Chief Minister accused the federal government of subjecting Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to systematic financial strangulation because the province is under the PTI-led administration. Despite bearing the brunt of the war on terrorism and suffering immense human and economic losses, the province continues to be denied its constitutional financial rights, he said. According to Afridi, the federation owes Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa more than Rs 2,200 billion in unpaid net benefits from Hydel, while another Rs 1,375 billion remains outstanding under NFC share for the merged districts. Total liabilities exceed Rs 4,375 billion. He added that although the federal government had committed Rs 100 billion annually for the development of the merged tribal districts, only Rs 168 billion has been released in the last seven years, leaving Rs 532 billion unpaid.
"These figures are clear evidence of deliberate fiscal injustice against a province that has made the greatest sacrifices for the peace and stability of Pakistan." Afridi said.
"Despite sustained persecution and political repression, Imran Khan remains unwavering and remains Pakistan’s most popular political leader, even behind prison walls." said. Despite this vindication of his global vision, Afridi said, Imran Khan remains behind bars in what he called one of the most extensive acts of political victimization in Pakistan’s democratic history.
"Unfounded and politically motivated cases continue to be weaponized against Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi," said. "Many of these cases have become a mockery of justice."
The Chief Minister alleged that the cases are deliberately not being arranged for timely hearings and described the situation as "procedural hostage taking through the courts." Imran Khan’s imprisonment has now exceeded 950 days, he added. Afridi claimed that the former prime minister is denied even basic rights afforded to ordinary prisoners, including access to family, a lawyer, personal doctors and his children.
