Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday claimed that the federal government owed the province Rs 550 billion and called for the National Finance Commission (NFC) meeting to be convened immediately.
He made these remarks today while addressing a jirga in the Khyber district of the province. Last week, CM Afridi had called for a grand peace jirga in a bid to discuss avenues for “establishment of peace” in the province.
“After 9/11, Pakistan entered into a foreign war without our consent,” CM Afridi said, referring to the September 11, 2001 attacks, when deadly plane hijackings claimed nearly 3,000 lives.
“It was said that Pakistan needs sacrifices. For Pakistan, we left our homes. Drone strikes and military operations started here,” Afridi said.
“They made us scapegoats,” he told the crowd. “Our houses, markets and mosques were destroyed, but we made sacrifices for Pakistan.”
The prime minister warned against launching any new military operations in the province’s tribal districts, stating that people “will not be made scapegoats again.”
Afridi added that despite security forces’ claims in 2018 that the Khyber district and other tribal areas had been cleared [of militants]“Preparations are again being made for new military operations.”
The newly elected provincial chief executive said KP supports the state when it comes to peace, but “under no circumstances will we support collateral damage.”
“If any innocent lives are lost this time, there will be accountability,” Afridi said.
He also demanded that any future decisions on the region “must include the provincial government and KP parliamentarians”, rejecting decisions made behind “closed doors”.
PTI leaders meet at CM House
Before the jirga, a meeting of senior PTI leaders took place at CM House in Peshawar, according to a statement by CM’s press secretary Sahibzada Hassan.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, CM Sohail Afridi, PTI Provincial Chairman Junaid Akbar, Asad Qaiser and other leaders participated in the meeting, the statement said. During the meeting, the law and order situation in the province was discussed in detail.
It was decided to call a peace jirga in the KP Assembly, to which former CM, governors, academicians, jirga leaders, civil society, lawyers and VIPs would be invited.
“The objective of the peace jirga is to eliminate terrorism and formulate a unified strategy for sustainable peace,” the statement said. ‘Participants at the meeting paid tribute to the sacrifices of the police.’
“The provincial government supports the police,” said CM Afridi. “Providing modern equipment, training and resources to the police is the government’s top priority.”
Increase in terrorist incidents
Pakistan has witnessed a rise in terror incidents, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke a fragile ceasefire agreement with the state in November 2022 and vowed to attack security officials, police and law enforcement agency (LEA) personnel.
Earlier this week, Afridi claimed that the resurgence of terrorism being witnessed in the province was due to the “flawed policy” of the federal government.
The PTI, which has been in power in KP since 2013, opposes military operations, which are also resisted by tribal people, often leading to displacement.
Although in August the federal government ruled out a new offensive, it continues anti-terrorist operations within the framework of the National Action Plan. A military operation is looming over Kurram district where people have started leaving their homes, while a targeted action is planned in War Mamund tehsil in Bajaur.
