CM says all parties opposed military action during Grand Peace Jirga

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi has strongly rejected rumours suggesting that he had allowed a military operation in the province, warning that deliberate efforts were being made to sabotage the peace agenda.

The chief minister made the remarks during a visit to Khyber district, where he met local elders and addressed a public jirga in Tehsil Bara.

“All Parties Opposed Any Operation”

Addressing the gathering, Afridi said that leaders from all political and religious parties had unanimously opposed any military operation during the Grand Peace Jirga convened to explore long-term peace in the region.

He said it was misleading to suggest otherwise, adding that a false impression was being deliberately created through organised propaganda to portray him as having approved an operation.

Claims of Manufactured Narrative

The chief minister alleged that preparations were being made to create an anti-government environment under the guise of a self-generated terrorism narrative.

He said that if there were genuine intentions to establish peace, the provincial government would have been taken into confidence before any decisions were made.

“Decisions taken behind closed doors have always caused damage,” he said, stressing that the people of the tribal areas had already paid a heavy price in the past.

“Tribal Areas Are Not an Experimental Ground”

Afridi said the merged tribal districts were home to real communities and could not be treated as an experimental ground for policy decisions.

“People live here, and such designs will not be allowed to succeed,” he said, reaffirming that no compromise would be made on the rights of the merged districts.

Warning of Street Movement

The chief minister also announced that preparations for a street movement would be taken to a decisive stage if necessary, adding that no representative of the federal government had contacted him so far for negotiations.

He reiterated his commitment to peace through dialogue and consensus, warning that any attempt to impose decisions without consultation would be resisted.