Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has said his government will oppose any new military operation in the province, pledging to resist what he termed anti-people policies during his tenure.
Addressing participants of the PTI Long March in Khyber on Wednesday, Afridi said he would not permit another military operation in KP and rejected any move to make the provincial government part of such a policy.
Referring to recent negotiations between the federal government and the opposition, including the PTI, the chief minister alleged that the provincial government had been pressured to endorse another operation. “But I will never become a part of this policy,” he said.
Afridi highlighted the plight of residents displaced from Tirah in Khyber, who agreed in December 2025 to leave their homes to facilitate a military operation. He said the families were forced to leave during harsh winter conditions and alleged that the authorities had failed to address their difficulties.
He also claimed that life in the tribal areas had been peaceful before the launch of military operations, recalling that PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan had opposed such operations since 2004.
The chief minister criticised the federal government over what he described as inadequate financial support for the former tribal districts. He said the KP government had provided Rs21 billion to families affected by military operations, while funds promised to the merged tribal areas had not been released by the Centre.
Responding to criticism that the KP government was not cooperating in the fight against terrorism, Afridi pointed to Balochistan, saying terrorism was also a major issue there despite cooperation between its provincial government and the Centre.
He reiterated that Islamabad had yet to release funds allocated for the former tribal areas, including Khyber, following their merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
