PESHAWAR – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has condemned remarks by Pakistan 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.
Afridi, in a post on X, warned that the negative portrayal of KP by a state institution representative undermines national unity and could affect Pakistan’s stability. He emphasized that opposition to military operations is shared across political and religious parties, not just by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The CM highlighted that despite 22 major military operations and around 14,000 intelligence-based operations, terrorism has not been fully eradicated in KP. “Are there major flaws in policy-making and implementation?” he questioned, stressing that repeated reliance on the same strategies risks wasting resources and endangering lives.
Afridi stressed the need for transparent Anti-Terror policy-making with clear objectives and measurable outcomes. He questioned the effectiveness of future operations, asking what guarantees exist that another military initiative will bring lasting peace. According to him, past efforts, despite heavy losses, failed to secure long-term stability.
He accused the military of making decisions without consulting elected representatives or local authorities. Many districts still face insecurity, economic stagnation, displacement fears, and lack of trust in state policies. “Business, education, and daily life continue to suffer while locals remain excluded from decision-making,” Afridi said.
Afridi also pointed out that terrorism was allowed to re-enter KP despite repeated warnings, and misleading narratives helped it spread. He condemned the DG ISPR’s remarks as irresponsible and harmful, fueling hatred against PTI and implying that political forces are left vulnerable to terrorists.
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To ensure lasting peace, Afridi called for a dramatic shift in Anti-Terror strategy. He proposed that all future decisions be guided by a unanimous National Jirga, including political and religious parties and representatives from all schools of thought in KP. “This is the only path to sustainable peace and security,” he concluded.
