Author: Sudhir Ahmad Afridi

By Ghulam Hussain Baloch QALAT: A large-scale anti-drugs and anti-smuggling operation in Balochistan’s Qalat district resulted in the seizure of narcotics and foreign goods worth billions of rupees, officials said. Officials said the operation targeted three major warehouses in the Khaliqabad area, where authorities recovered a significant quantity of drugs alongside smuggled goods, including tyres, textiles, and thousands of meters of imported cloth. A spokesperson for the district administration described the haul as “unprecedented in scale” for the region, noting that the total value of the items recovered was estimated in the billions of rupees. Deputy Commissioner Durrani told reporters…

By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi KHYBER: Leaders of the Khyber Political Alliance urged residents of the tribal district to turn out in large numbers for a public rally scheduled to be held at Bacha Khan Chowk in Landi Kotal Bazaar, warning that prolonged border closures, worsening economic conditions and rising unemployment had pushed local communities into deep distress. The call was made following a meeting of the alliance, during which party leaders expressed concern over what they described as the growing marginalization of tribal areas and the lack of effective measures to address long-standing public grievances. Speaking to reporters after the…

By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi TORKHAM: The closure of Pakistan‑Afghanistan border crossings, including Torkham, Chaman, Ghulam Khan and Kharlachi, was triggered by clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces on 11 October last year. Following the incidents, authorities had to shut trade and transit points. Pakistan repeatedly accused the Afghan regime of allowing its territory to be used against Pakistan, insisting that borders would remain closed until Afghanistan provided international guarantees to stop cross‑border terrorist incursions. The international community also alleged that Afghanistan continued to harbour militants posing a threat to the region and neighbouring states. In response, Afghanistan’s current Emir, Hibatullah…

By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi KHYBER: Sharifullah Afridi, president of the Teachers’ Association of Khyber District, criticised what he called “unjust and harsh” tax deductions from teachers’ salaries, despite existing tax exemptions. In a statement, he described the move by the provincial government and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) as akin to “stepmotherly treatment” and a clear violation of official promises. Afridi said that while the government claims to provide relief to teachers, the FBR’s removal of tax exemptions and subsequent deductions had caused severe financial strain. “Inflation has already burdened teachers, and now these unexplained deductions, made without prior…

By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi KHYBER: The annual elections of the District Press Club Khyber have been completed in Landi Kotal, with Aman Ali Shinwari elected president and Hijrat Ali Afridi chosen as general secretary. The elections were held under the supervision of senior members of the legal community, including Khyber Bar Association president Advocate Abrar Afridi, along with Advocate Taj Mahal and Advocate Ahmedullah Khattak, in line with directives from the information department. The process was described as transparent and peaceful. As no nomination papers were submitted by other members for most offices by 26 December, Shinwari and several cabinet…

By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi KHYBER: A key consultative meeting of the Khyber Political Alliance was held at the Landi Kotal District Press Club, bringing together workers from various political parties alongside elders from the provincial and former tribal districts. The meeting was attended by a wide range of political and community figures, including Shah Hussain Shinwari, Murad Hussain Afridi, Mufti Ijaz Shinwari, Haji Zarbullah, Maulana Shoaib, Sajid Afridi, Hameesh Shinwari and Fazlur Rehman Afridi, among others. Participants held detailed discussions on the problems facing Landi Kotal, focusing in particular on the acute lack of facilities in hospitals, negligence in medical…

By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi KHYBER: Additional Assistant Commissioner Shahabuddin, accompanied by officers from Lundi Kotal police, conducted visits to Gagra and nearby areas to engage with Afghan nationals residing in the tehsil without proper legal status. During these visits, local jirgas—traditional tribal assemblies—were convened to communicate with the Afghan residents, urging them to return to Afghanistan voluntarily and with dignity. Authorities emphasized that the initiative was intended to facilitate an orderly and respectful repatriation process rather than impose punitive measures. The district administration reported that a series of jirgas had been initiated across the Lundi Kotal sub-division as part of…

By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi Pashtun culture is often reduced in popular imagination to the rhythms of the Attan or other dances, but this is only a small fragment of a far more profound and multifaceted heritage. True Pashtun values have always been rooted in social ethics, communal responsibility, and a deep respect for life and tradition. For instance, in villages and towns across Pashtun regions, the passing of a neighbor has long required even pre-scheduled weddings to be postponed. Aerial firing, once a common celebratory practice, would never be considered appropriate in such circumstances. Young people, known as Kasharan, were…

By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi KHYBER: Doctors and hospital staff at the District Headquarters Hospital in Lundi Kotal, Khyber district, have staged a protest against prolonged electricity outages, refusing to operate the outpatient department (OPD) until the crisis is resolved. Staff say that power has been cut for up to 20 hours a day over the past several days, severely affecting medical services. Hospital personnel reported that the absence of electricity has brought operations in wards, the emergency department, laboratories, and other critical units to a halt. With winter temperatures dropping, patients are reportedly facing heightened discomfort and health risks. Doctors…

By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi KHYBER: In a case of women’s access to justice in Khyber District, female members of the District Resolution Council (DRC) at Lundi Kotil Police Station successfully resolved a complex and sensitive case for the first time. The case involved a widow whose husband had died in a traffic accident in 2024. Following the incident, the deceased’s heirs were required under Islamic law to pay 3.5 million rupees in “diyat” compensation. However, the deceased’s brother collected the amount and refused to hand it over to the widow. After months of unsuccessful attempts to claim her rightful share,…