K-P CM warns ‘closed-door decisions’ are fueling unrest

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi has criticised what he described as “closed-door decisions” and flawed security policies, saying they have failed to bring lasting peace to the province.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Jameel Chowk Underpass, Afridi said K-P had witnessed extensive security operations over the years, but the province continued to face instability.

He said around 22 major military operations and nearly 14,000 intelligence-based operations had been carried out in the province.

Despite these efforts, he said, violence and unrest remained a serious challenge.

Afridi said police personnel were increasingly questioning the policies under which they were being asked to sacrifice their lives.

He argued that security strategies must be reviewed if they were not producing sustainable results.

The chief minister also highlighted his government’s development agenda. He said work on major projects was being accelerated under the Peshawar Revitalisation Plan.

Afridi said the government had already achieved its 90-day targets for several previously launched schemes.

He said the Jameel Chowk Underpass was originally planned to be completed within 90 days. However, he directed the authorities to complete the project within 60 days.

According to the chief minister, development projects worth around Rs200 billion are currently being executed in Peshawar under the revitalisation programme.

He pledged to continue the development drive across K-P and improve public infrastructure in major cities.

Afridi also praised the Local Government Department for monitoring development schemes. He said effective monitoring was essential to ensure that projects were completed on time.

Discussing the provincial economy, the chief minister said K-P had increased its development budget for the 2026-27 financial year despite facing financial and administrative difficulties.

He claimed that the federal government had missed its revenue target by around Rs1.213 trillion during 2025-26.

In contrast, he said K-P had surpassed its revenue target of Rs129 billion by collecting more than Rs150 billion.

For the current financial year, the provincial government has set a revenue target of Rs180 billion.

Afridi expressed confidence that the province would collect around Rs200 billion.

The chief minister also turned his attention to national politics. He criticised the federal government and alleged that administrations without a genuine public mandate had adopted policies that contributed to economic and social difficulties.

He compared Pakistan’s current economic growth rate of around three per cent with the 6.1 per cent GDP growth recorded during the government of former prime minister Imran Khan.

Afridi also criticised the treatment of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers and women associated with the party.

He called for women to be treated with respect regardless of their political affiliations.

The chief minister also raised questions over the implementation of court orders related to Imran Khan’s medical treatment.

He said failure to comply with judicial orders could weaken public confidence in the authority of the courts.

Afridi further warned that frustration among young people and the middle class was increasing.

He said growing public dissatisfaction could become increasingly difficult to manage if legitimate grievances remained unresolved.

He urged state institutions and political leaders to understand the concerns of the public.

The chief minister said policies that further alienate citizens could deepen political and social tensions.