PTI march: CM Sohail Afridi says won’t allow another military operation in KP

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Wednesday said that his government would oppose any move to launch another military operation in the province.

He made the remarks while addressing PTI supporters after his convoy reached Khyber district. “I will not allow another military operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he asserted, adding that he would continue to resist “anti-people policies” while serving as chief minister.

The chief minister claimed that the provincial government had previously faced pressure to agree to another military operation but refused to support the proposal.

He referred to the displacement of residents from Tirah during previous military operations, saying they were forced to leave their homes during severe winter conditions. He said that residents of the tribal areas had been living peacefully before the military operations and recalled that PTI founder Imran Khan had opposed such operations since 2004.

The chief minister also criticised the federal government over what he called inadequate funding for the former tribal areas following their merger with KP.

He said the provincial government had provided Rs21 billion to families affected by military operations.

Responding to criticism that his government was not cooperating with the Centre on counterterrorism, Afridi pointed to the situation in Balochistan, saying terrorism was also a problem there despite cooperation between the provincial and federal governments.