(Web Desk) – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has strongly criticized a recent press conference, saying the narrative is not about ending terrorism but about targeting PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.
Speaking at a convocation ceremony in Peshawar, Afridi said KP has already endured the consequences of past military operations and cannot afford a repeat. “We have seen the scenes of military operations before and we do not want to witness them again,” he said, becoming emotional while referring to the subject.
‘Closed-door decisions are dangerous’
The chief minister warned that decisions taken behind closed doors are dangerous and claimed preparations for another military operation were underway. He noted that KP had previously faced 22 major operations and over 14,000 targeted actions, which severely damaged the province.
Afridi said earlier operations destroyed schools, hospitals, and homes, leading to civilian casualties and widespread displacement. “Before these operations, there were no beggars. Today, seeing women forced to beg is a source of deep shame,” he added.
Call for consultation and consensus
He stressed that if terrorism is genuinely the issue, federal authorities must take the KP government, political parties, and local elders into confidence. Afridi said his government had already identified militant threats and submitted reports, but these warnings were ignored.
The chief minister said KP’s people are once again ready to make sacrifices for peace, but rejected what he called the use of counterterrorism as a political tool against Imran Khan and PTI.
Remarks on language, education, and outreach
During his address, Afridi also emphasized that Urdu should be used for official speeches in public universities, reiterating it as the national language. He assured students that his government would continue to support education and employment opportunities.
Afridi said he was traveling to Karachi to convey a message from Imran Khan, adding that while there had been no direct contact with the Sindh government, coordination with the party’s provincial organization was ongoing.
