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| The new chief minister of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, Sohail Afridi, speaks during his first formal meeting as the new chief executive of the province on October 20, 2025. (Daily News/ X) |
PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: Newly elected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Monday made a fiery debut in office, vowing to end all “political arrests” in the province and accusing the federal government of policies that have “brought terrorism back” to Pakistan’s northwest.
Afridi chaired his first official meeting after being elected chief minister last week. A lawmaker from Bara, near the Afghan border, Afridi replaced Ali Amin Gandapur, who resigned earlier this month on the instructions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
The new CM inherits a tough job — from fixing the province’s struggling finances to tackling a fresh wave of militancy linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other armed groups operating along the Afghan frontier.
“No one will be arrested in political FIRs,” Afridi declared during the meeting, according to a statement from the Chief Secretary’s office.
“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has its own political culture, and we won’t let it be spoiled.”
He added that no individual would be detained under the controversial Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law, which allows authorities to hold people for up to six months without trial.
Tough words for Islamabad
Afridi accused the federal government of neglecting KP’s security needs, blaming “wrong federal policies” for the resurgence of terrorism in the province.
“Due to flawed federal policies, terrorism has resurfaced in the province,” he said. “The federal government isn’t providing KP with War on Terror funds or our constitutional rights.”
Islamabad and the PTI-led KP government have long sparred over counterterrorism efforts. While the federal government often blames KP for failing to curb militancy, provincial leaders say the center keeps them out of key security decisions — and withholds funds meant for anti-militancy operations.
Promises of reform and transparency
Afridi pledged to strengthen the provincial police, promising they would get “modern tools and weaponry” to take on militants.
“Law and order is our top priority and cannot be compromised,” he said, assuring that police would face no shortage of funds.
The new CM also vowed to crack down on corruption and ensure transparency in governance, warning there would be “no compromise on merit” in official postings or transfers.
High-level attendance
Senior officials including the provincial chief secretary, inspector general of police, additional chief secretary, administrative secretaries, and other top police officers attended the meeting. Divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, and district police officers joined via video link.
Afridi’s hardline tone and early promises suggest he intends to carve out his own political identity — one that balances loyalty to PTI with a regional push for autonomy and accountability.
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