PESHAWAR— Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi has strongly condemned the meeting convened by Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Tuesday, describing it as an extremely regrettable and condemnable drama and an unconstitutional attempt to interfere in the functioning of the elected provincial government.Addressing a meeting of the provincial cabinet, the chief minister said a government enjoying a two thirds majority of the public mandate was fully functional in the province, with the provincial assembly, cabinet and government continuing to perform their constitutional responsibilities.
He said the governor’s summoning of the chief secretary and inspector general of police (IGP) and presiding over such a meeting was unconstitutional.Holding such a meeting by the governor is an attack on the Constitution and democracy, he said.Sohail Afridi said the provincial government would seek the Advocate General’s opinion on the constitutional status of the meeting held by the governor. He maintained that there was a constitutional procedure for removing a chief minister, which was through a vote of no-confidence.Nobody will be allowed to launch an assault on democracy, the chief minister said.
The chief minister also criticised the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), alleging that its past political conduct had contributed to national divisions and accusing it of again pursuing policies driven by personal interests.He said the provincial government would not allow any conspiracy aimed at weakening or dividing Pakistan to succeed.He alleged that the governor’s activities were intended to provoke the provincial government and push it into a reaction that could further deteriorate the situation.We will remain peaceful and will speak only of the Constitution and the law, he said.Sohail Afridi said the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had continuously deteriorated after terrorism was “imposed” on the province again.He said that since taking oath on October 15, 2025, his government had been continuously strengthening the KP Police, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Special Branch.
According to the chief minister, the KP Police currently possesses some of the most modern weapons and equipment available to any police force in Pakistan, while substantial investment and measures were being undertaken to strengthen CTD infrastructure and the Special Branch.He said former prime minister Imran Khan and his government had always supported the KP Police and the people of the province.
The chief minister accused the federal government of consistently treating Khyber Pakhtunkhwa like a stepchild.He said the former tribal areas were merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018, but their complete financial integration had yet to be achieved. He alleged that the financial rights promised at the time of the merger were still not being provided.
Sohail Afridi further alleged that since 2024 the federal government had repeatedly imposed military operations on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resulting in the displacement of people who, he said, had been left without full compensation.He claimed that approximately Rs100 billion in compensation for victims of the merged tribal districts remained outstanding.Families whose homes were destroyed, whose relatives were affected and whose mosques were demolished are still waiting for compensation, he said.The chief minister criticised the compensation of only Rs400,000 per affected house, contrasting it with what he described as the lavish expenditure of influential people in power.
He said a commitment had been made to provide between Rs370 million and Rs380 million per month to displaced people from North Waziristan residing in the Baka Khel camp, but the promised amount was still not being provided regularly.Sohail Afridi said it was the provincial government’s responsibility to stand with people displaced by federal policies.He claimed that the provincial government had provided Rs21 billion for displaced people since assuming office. He added that the provincial government also had to bear the cost of damages caused by military operations and drone attacks.
The people making decisions while sitting in the federal government do not realise the difficulties their decisions create for the people of the province, he said.He demanded that, if the federal government was genuinely committed to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it should increase the province’s NFC share and clear what he described as approximately Rs1.25 trillion in outstanding dues, particularly in view of the sacrifices made by the province, including nearly 80,000 precious lives.Sohail Afridi said he remained a “soldier of Imran Khan” and had been trained by him throughout his political career never to engage in unconstitutional or illegal activities.
He directed the inspector general of police and chief secretary to not comply with any order that was unconstitutional or unlawful.The chief minister reiterated that the provincial government would remain peaceful and would respond to developments strictly within the framework of the Constitution and law.
