PESHAWAR – Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi condemned remarks of Pakistani military’s spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, calling them “deeply regrettable and painful” for a province that has sacrificed nearly 80,000 lives in the fight against terrorism.
In his recent post on X, Afridi voiced his concerns, warning that the negative portrayal of KP by state institution’s representative not only undermines national unity but could also be detrimental to Pakistan’s stability.
He said opposition to military operations is not limited to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), but is shared across all political and religious parties and people of every school of thought in the province. “A military operation is not a long-term solution to any problem,” he said.
Afridi was of view that despite 22 major military operations and nearly 14,000 intelligence-based operations, terrorism has not been eradicated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “This raises a serious question: Are there major flaws in policy-making and implementation?” he asked. He warned that continued reliance on failed strategies risks wasting nation’s resources and putting public lives at constant risk.
CM questioned effectiveness of future operations, asking, “What concrete guarantee exists that another military operation will actually deliver lasting peace? Past strategies, despite heavy human losses and enormous spending, failed, so why would the same approach work now?”
Afridi stressed need for transparent policy-making, clear objectives, and measurable outcomes, cautioning that without these, any new action risks creating more uncertainty rather than peace.
He accused military of making decisions without consulting elected representatives or local authorities, highlighting that many districts still face insecurity, economic stagnation, fear of displacement, and lack of trust in state policies. “Business, education, and daily life continue to suffer while locals remain excluded from decision-making,” he said.
CM also revealed a startling truth: despite repeated warnings, terrorism was allowed to re-enter the province, with misleading narratives helping it spread further. Afridi stressed heavy toll on PTI members themselves: “Party officials, ministers, and elected representatives were targeted; some were martyred in shootings, others in bombings.” He condemned the DG ISPR’s remarks as irresponsible and unfounded, saying they not only fuel hatred against PTI but also suggest that political forces are being left at the mercy of terrorists, a dangerous and unacceptable mindset.
Calling for dramatic shift in strategy, Afridi proposed that all future decisions be guided by unanimous national jirga, including all political and religious parties and representatives from all schools of thought in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, rather than being made behind closed doors or based on the whims of a single individual. “This is the only path to sustainable peace and security,” he added.
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