Key Takeaways
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi blames the deteriorating security situation on a failed foreign policy.
- The province has lost over 80,000 lives in the fight against terrorism since 2004.
- Mr Afridi criticizes the federal government for focusing on political activities instead of addressing terrorism.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has blamed the deteriorating security situation in Pakistan on a failed foreign policy, stating that the policy has not delivered results over the past 22 years.
During a visit to Kohat, Mr Afridi met with the families of police personnel and civilians who were martyred in a terrorist attack on the Police Lines, paying tribute to their courage and resilience.
He highlighted the commendable manner in which security personnel and other responders confronted terrorists during an operation that lasted nearly 20 hours.
Mr Afridi emphasized that the people and police of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continue to bear the burden of the fight against terrorism, with police personnel often sustaining injuries and laying down their lives.
The chief minister pointed out that the closure of the Afghan border has resulted in significant economic losses for the province, with estimated losses of over Rs8 billion during the previous financial year.
He criticized the federal government and institutions for focusing on suppressing political activities of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) instead of addressing the challenge of terrorism.
Mr Afridi also expressed concern over the state narrative, which he believes is unfairly labeling the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as terrorists while downplaying the threat from India.
He called for a change in policy, stating that if a policy is not delivering results and is continuously failing, it needs to be changed.
Mr Afridi concluded by addressing the youth and people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, emphasizing that no one else would come to stand with them in their fight against terrorism.
If a policy is not delivering results and is continuously failing, there is a need to change it.
Sohail Afridi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister
