KOHAT(The COW News Digital) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has urged the federal government to abandon what he described as failed security policies and adopt his proposed strategy, claiming that peace could be restored across the province within 100 days.
Addressing participants of the PTI-linked long march at University Chowk before departing Kohat, Afridi said his government had made its demands public through social media. He stated that he would call off the march if any point in the demands was found to be unconstitutional or unlawful.
Afridi thanked the people of Kohat for participating in the protest and praised their enthusiasm. He said the opposition had exhausted what he described as available democratic, constitutional and legal avenues before taking to the streets.
According to Afridi, he had repeatedly sought a meeting between himself and PTI founder Imran Khan. He claimed that he had approached the federal government, the provincial assembly and senior members of the judiciary over the matter but had not been able to secure the meeting.
The chief minister also referred to court proceedings concerning Imran Khan’s health and treatment. He alleged that judicial directions regarding Khan’s medical treatment had not been implemented.
Afridi said peaceful protest was a constitutional right when citizens believed that available avenues for justice had failed. He maintained that the ongoing demonstration would remain peaceful and said the protesters were demanding medical treatment and access to Imran Khan, as well as his release through due legal process.
He also criticized successive security strategies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, arguing that years of military operations and drone strikes had failed to eliminate terrorism.
“I am giving you a policy; peace can be established in 100 days,” Afridi said while addressing the federal government.
The chief minister argued that the province had paid a heavy price in the fight against militancy, claiming that more than 80,000 people had lost their lives. He called for greater attention to the concerns of residents and rejected what he characterized as policies that placed the burden of conflict on Pashtun communities.
Afridi further urged supporters to remain peaceful during the protest campaign. He said the march would proceed toward Khyber before eventually moving toward Peshawar, while warning that the movement could expand if the government failed to respond to its demands.
The chief minister also criticized the government’s handling of the protest schedule and said the change in the march’s dates had generated controversy. He maintained that his supporters would continue their political campaign and seek the release of Imran Khan.
Afridi additionally raised concerns over reports about Khan’s health. He warned that if any harm came to the former prime minister, those responsible for his custody and care, along with relevant government officials, would be held responsible.
The federal government has yet to formally respond to Afridi’s proposed 100-day security strategy. His remarks come amid continuing political tensions between the KP government, PTI supporters and the federal authorities.
As the long march moves forward, the central issues remain the opposition’s demands concerning Imran Khan, the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and disagreements between the provincial and federal governments over how to address militancy and political unrest.
