By Mehrab Shah Afridi
KHYBER: Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi, made a brief visit to District Khyber, addressing local elders and residents at a jirga in Bara Tehsil.
Speaking to the community, Afridi condemned attempts to misrepresent the provincial government’s stance, saying regime change had ended the democratic government of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and false narratives were being used against him, which he successfully countered.
He highlighted the Grand Peace Jirga held recently, which produced a 15-point consensus, noting that all political and religious groups had opposed any military operations. Afridi criticised attempts to sabotage this peace agenda and rejected claims of authorising operations in Tirah during heavy snowfall, dismissing such actions as misguided and politically motivated.
Afridi reiterated that the government stands with Imran Khan’s position on military operations, warning that tribal areas are home to human communities, not laboratories for experiments. He criticised historical neglect of the region, referencing the unfulfilled promise of Rs 1,000 billion for development made at the time of former FATA’s merger. He assured that the provincial government is now working on a comprehensive development package prioritising health, education, and social needs, and that no compromise will be made on the rights of the merged districts.
The chief minister also visited the home of a seriously ill child, Zainab, in Jamrud, fulfilling a promise to meet her and offering support, demonstrating personal engagement with local concerns. Afridi concluded by underlining that street movement preparations are ongoing under Imran Khan’s directives, with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf fully backing the leadership of the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Aain Pakistan in all decisions.
