Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, Muhammad Sohail Afridi, has called for a change in the federal government’s policy on terrorism, saying peace can be restored in the province within 100 days if a new strategy is formulated in consultation with all stakeholders, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Monday.
Addressing a meeting on law and order, Afridi said the people, police and army of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had made immense sacrifices for the establishment of peace, adding that more than 80,000 people from the province had sacrificed their lives for Pakistan.
He said the peace achieved after two decades of sacrifices was again lost to instability following the “regime change” operation.
According to him, the provincial government had repeatedly warned the state and federal government about the return of instability, from the time terrorists retreated to the mountains to their subsequent resettlement.
Sohail Afridi said the provincial government raised the issue through public meetings, rallies and demonstrations across different districts, but federal ministers dismissed its warnings as “propaganda and lies.”
“We repeatedly stated that the state’s current policy was flawed and would lead to the shedding of Pashtun blood once again,” he added.
The chief minister said people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were being subjected to experiments driven by a “specific mindset,” while army personnel, police officers, children, women, elderly people, and ordinary citizens were being martyred in acts of terrorism.
He alleged that residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were labelled “terrorists and savages,” while no action was taken against those making such statements.
Sohail Afridi termed a policy of “double standards” as one for the “favorites” and another for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying it was unacceptable. He also criticized a statement attributed to Punjab’s chief minister, saying the claim that the threat came not from India but from the other three provinces was “deeply concerning.”
He said those who contradicted the state’s narrative regarding India should also be held accountable.
The chief minister said merely providing additional resources to the police would not resolve the security situation and stressed that the federal government must change its policy.
Sohail Afridi said he had diverted Rs35 billion from the development budget to the police to improve security, while resources had also been allocated to enhance police capacity during the 2026 fiscal year. He added that the police budget had been increased by 103 percent.
He said the provincial government was strengthening police manpower and operational capacity, reinforcing the Special Branch and equipping the force with modern weapons and essential equipment.
He added that he had been consistently calling for a change in what he described as a failed policy that had continued for 22 years, adding that he had been demanding a policy shift since October 15, 2025.
KP CM called for a new policy to be formulated after taking all stakeholders, including the government, administration, and police, into confidence. “If the new policy we proposed is implemented, peace can be restored in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within 100 days, yet no one is willing to listen,” he stressed.
Questioning the direction in which the country was being led, Sohail Afridi asked whether the blood of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was so cheap that it could be sacrificed for political interests.
He said no measure contrary to the will and public mandate of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be acceptable.
“I curse any position of power that would force me to abandon my principles,” Afridi said, adding that he would not back down from his stance due to threats of Governor’s Rule or a state of emergency.
The chief minister reiterated that the Federation must change its approach and introduce a policy shift, saying such a change was in the interest of the entire country and not only Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“We must spare our soldiers, police personnel, and civilians from further bloodshed,” Sohail Afridi said.