Mohsin Naqvi claims Sohail Afridi met officials privately during talks on KP security

 Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has claimed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi used to meet federal officials privately and was reluctant to have photographs taken during their meetings.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has claimed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi used to meet federal officials privately and was reluctant to have photographs taken during their meetings.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad alongside other federal ministers, Naqvi said he had held several meetings with Afridi during which discussions focused exclusively on terrorism and security matters rather than politics.

The interior minister stated that an agreement had been reached around four months earlier to strengthen police capabilities in five districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to Naqvi Afridi had cited a shortage of funds prompting the federal government to offer financial support for the proposed measures.

Naqvi said the federal government had spent more than a month trying to bring the KP government on board regarding counterterrorism efforts. He added that he had maintained backchannel contacts with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders to encourage cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

He claimed that progress had been made on several PTI demands before the announcement of a long march. Discussions also covered postponing the protest and establishing a committee to resolve outstanding issues.

According to the interior minister a negotiating committee was formed following consultations between the president and the prime minister. The committee held two days of talks with PTI representatives. Naqvi said senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser had assured officials that his party would fully cooperate in combating terrorism.

However, Naqvi alleged that negotiations broke down after the fourth draft of a proposed agreement was finalized, with the other side subsequently refusing to accept it. He said officials had remained in contact with PTI representatives until late at night while seeking a response to proposed changes.

Emphasizing the government’s position Naqvi said terrorism—not the protest itself—was the central concern. He argued that urgent action was necessary to address security threats and prevent further casualties.

The minister also referred to differences between police figures from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and data held by the federal government. He rejected suggestions that federal financial assistance for the provincial police should be portrayed as a favor.

Naqvi maintained that counterterrorism efforts should remain separate from political disputes, calling for cooperation among political parties and government institutions to address the province’s security challenges.

The allegations and account of the negotiations were presented by Naqvi at the press conference; the report does not independently verify the claims or establish the other side’s response.