Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Thursday criticised military operations in the province, saying they were being imposed without the consent of the provincial government or assembly.
The chief minister addressed the situation while presiding over the 46th provincial cabinet session. “Provincial government has not allowed permission for any military operations in K-P. However, these military operations are being imposed without the approval of the provincial assembly or government,” he said.
Afridi called for the involvement of all stakeholders, including tribal elders and political and religious leaders, in decisions regarding military operations in the province.
He said that despite 22 major operations and 14,000 intelligence operations, terrorism had not been eliminated. “The security forces are our protectors, but complaints come from our own people. On one side, terrorists kill, and on the other, civilians are martyred in collateral damage. There is a need for legislation regarding civilian casualties in drone and air strikes,” CM Afridi added.
Accusing the federal government of not providing support, he said it had not released funds promised for internally displaced persons (IDPs), forcing the provincial government to spend Rs7.5 billion from its own resources so far.
“After the announcement of operations, the people of K-P were displaced and left under the province’s responsibility, putting a heavy financial burden on provincial resources. So far, Rs10 billion have been spent, and losses of up to Rs100b are feared,” he added. Afridi also highlighted broader economic challenges.
“Closed-door decisions have caused GDP to fall from 6.1% to 2-3%. Loans have increased from Rs43 trillion to Rs80tr. Due to unemployment and inflation, young people are leaving the country,” he said.
He also claimed that a recent incident at Radio Pakistan was a conspiracy against his party. “A special committee of the provincial assembly has been formed to investigate the Radio Pakistan incident. One meeting has already taken place,” the chief minister said.
Afridi criticised the federal government for keeping former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in isolation, calling the move “unjust” and a violation of basic rights.
He said Imran had been held in solitary confinement for more than 90 days without access to family or friends. He said Bushra Bibi was also being kept in isolation and not allowed to meet her family.
“It is cruel not to provide Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi with winter clothing. The so-called government is breaking all records of dictatorship,” he said.
Afridi accused the federal government of treating K-P unfairly, likening its approach to that of a “stepmother.” He said the province had decided to reclaim action-in-aid-of-civil-power, but delays had occurred due to the federal government’s failure to provide details of terrorist detention centres.
“The lack of information on terrorist prisoners could create security concerns if action-in-aid-of-civil-power are withdrawn,” he added.
The chief minister also criticised the federal government’s use of the Anti-Terrorism Act to ban political parties, calling it inappropriate. He said officials had been instructed to review the list of political workers included under fourth schedule and provide relief where necessary.
Afridi highlighted delays in the Northern Bypass project, which has been stalled since 2010, saying costs had risen from Rs3 billion to Rs31 billion. He said the provincial government had contributed Rs5 billion to accelerate the project.
The chief minister also announced the formation of a special provincial assembly committee to probe alleged electoral rigging in the February 8, 2024, elections. He confirmed that provincial employees would be summoned for questioning, emphasising that while security forces remained respected protectors, accountability measures would target internal administrative lapses.