PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution, announcing all-out support for peace talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad, calling it Pakistan’s constructive initiative aimed at the promotion of peace and regional stability.
The resolution, moved by treasury MPA Sher Ali Afridi during a session chaired by Idrees Khan, said that PTI founder Imran Khan had consistently advocated for a foreign policy framework grounded in dialogue, diplomatic engagement and peaceful coexistence among states.
It added that as prime minister, Imran played a constructive role in advancing regional peace efforts, including the facilitation of understandings contributing to the Doha Process aimed at the cessation of the prolonged conflict in Afghanistan and undertook initiatives to promote meaningful engagement between regional actors.
The resolution said as the prime minister, Imran’s landmark initiative of opening the Kartarpur Corridor stood as a historic gesture of interfaith harmony, religious tolerance and enhanced people-to-people connectivity, while his consistent articulation of the principle that Pakistan shall remain a partner in peace and not in conflict continued to provide a guiding orientation for a dignified and balanced foreign policy.
Says Pakistan’s initiative will promote regional stability
It added that notwithstanding Imran’s present [incarceration](https://Imran’s present incarceration,), the vision and political philosophy espoused by him for peace, dialogue and regional stability continued to find resonance in the national discourse and that the proposed Islamabad Peace Dialogue presented a timely opportunity to further strengthen efforts for regional harmony through structured and sustained diplomatic engagement.
“The Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resolves to reaffirm its support for the Islamabad Peace Dialogue as a meaningful and constructive initiative aimed at the promotion of peace, regional stability, and sustained diplomatic engagement in the region,” it said.
The resolution also said that the assembly was of the considered view that, in order to enhance the inclusivity, credibility, and effectiveness of the Islamabad Peace Dialogue, it would be appropriate for Imran’s vision, experience and political mandate as a significant stakeholder to be duly acknowledged and meaningfully reflected within the consultative and deliberative processes aimed at advancing regional peace, stability and socio-economic well-being.
Earlier, lawmakers from both the treasury and opposition benches condemned the death of a child in an incident in Khar tehsil of Bajaur tribal district and demanded an inquiry into it.
Local MPA Dr Hameedur Rehman complained that a raid was carried out by people, backed by security forces, in the presence of militants, in which a child was “martyred”.
He added that the raiding team failed to achieve its target, prompting residents to demand an inquiry against the personnel.
Member of the opposition ANP Mohammad Nisar said the child was martyred in Bajaur and not Gaza.
He said that people kept the road blocked and questioned why innocent children were being killed.
“They [security forces] told us that Bajaur will be cleared in six months but this has yet to happen,” he said.
The lawmaker said Pakistan was mediating between the US and Iran, which must be appreciated, but the poor law and order situation in the country raised questions.
“A total of 38 civilians, including people from all age groups, have been killed and 33 have been injured since July 2025 in Bajaur, but the number of the militants killed is unavailable,” he said.
Mr Nisar wondered why civilians were killed in such actions.
He also complained that the families of 65 people killed in anti-militant operations had yet to receive compensation.
Treasury MPA Anwar Zeb said the province in general and the merged districts in particular had been facing that situation since 2006.
“My house was targeted in a drone attack, so this house’s security committee demanded an inquiry within four days, but even five months later, no one knows who carried out that attack,” he said.
The member claimed that anyone who raised voice for peace received threats and their houses were targeted in drone attacks.
“We strongly condemn this conduct. We want a ruling from the chair for an independent inquiry,” he said.
Zeb said people of erstwhile Fata celebrated their tribal region’s merger with KP but the situation remained the same.
“We cannot tolerate this anymore,” he said.
Treasury MPA Dr Israr complained that the child was martyred in his mother’s lap.
“Schoolchildren were martyred in Iran, but their nation’s anger has yet to cool down. The Iranian leadership carried their school bags even while travelling to Islamabad for peace talks with the United States,” he said.
“The speaker, who chairs this house’s security committee, will be informed about this call for convening a meeting of the committee,” the chair observed.
Member of the opposition PPP Ahmad Karim Kundi hailed the current Pakistani leadership for trying to prevent a world war through mediation.
He said as the global diplomacy failed, Pakistan stepped in and secured a ceasefire between the US and Iran.
The lawmaker questioned which lawmaker appreciated Pakistan’s peace efforts.
The chief minister’s special assistant for information, Shafi Jan, said his leader, Imran Khan, invited foreign ministers of 57 countries for an OIC conference in Islamabad but Kundi’s leader, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, linked his party’s participation in the summit to the acceptance of its political demands.
“Imran Khan may have differences with the current political dispensation, but why his wife, Bushra Bibi, is being mistreated,” he said.
Jan said that in the past, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz was granted bail for taking care of her imprisoned father, who was hospitalised on bail.
He complained that his leader Imran Khan was denied access to a personal physician in the jail and that the cases had not been fixed for court hearing for the last three years.
Minister for law Aftab Alam Afridi tabled the KP Vagrancy (Control and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2026, which was referred to the relevant house committee for submitting recommendations within 15 days.
The chair announced that for the first time, the assembly would meet at a public place, Imran Khan Stadium in Peshawar, tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon, with people allowed to witness its proceedings.
He later put off the sitting.
Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2026
