CM Afridi rejects govt’s ‘voluntary displacement’ allegation; He says the government wants to pit the KP government against security forces
PESHAWAR:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has rejected the federal government’s statement, terming it “misleading and factually incorrect”, that the displacement of people from Tirah Valley in Khyber district is voluntary in nature.
Afridi, who belongs to Imran Khan’s PTI, warned that if the notice is not withdrawn and an apology is not tendered, he will convene a jirga of the Afridi tribe in the district.
Addressing rallies in different areas of KP, including Mingora town in Swat, the CM accused the federal government of trying to pit the provincial government and state institutions.
He announced that all future communications with the federal government would be documented in writing and supported by evidence, and that such tactics could not succeed.
The Ministry of Information became aware on Saturday of “misleading claims” circulating regarding an alleged “depopulation” of the Tirah Valley on orders from the army.
In a media statement, the organization said the claims were baseless, malicious and motivated by ulterior motives aimed at alarming the public, misinforming security institutions and promoting vested political interests. He said no directives had been issued for the depopulation of Tirah by the federal government and the armed forces.
Referring to the Deputy Commissioner of Khyber, the statement, however, emphasized that “a voluntary movement” of the valley residents reflected the views and preferences of the people, expressed through a representative jirga convened at the district level, “taking into account seasonal, logistical and contextual considerations, as well as an out-of-camp modality”.
Addressing another gathering in Chakdara, the CM said the federal government’s recent notification claiming that Tirah-affected people had migrated of their own volition was based on “open injustice” and “denial of facts”.
He said the people of Tirah are going through the most difficult conditions and the root cause of these problems “is the false government established in Form 47, which ignored the ground realities and left the people helpless.”
The CM warned against using Pashtun areas as a testing ground for failed policies and asserted that he would remain steadfast in defending the rights of the province and its people.
“These people impose decisions made behind closed doors, and when those decisions fail, they back down. Decisions imposed in secret often collapse when confronted with reality,” he said.
Declaring the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan unfair, he described it as a political sacrifice and said the party and its supporters remained fully aligned with him.
He said the PTI street movement continued across Pakistan and the people of Swat and other parts of the country had clearly expressed their political will.
“Political parties that rely on financial or material incentives to mobilize their supporters will eventually fade as the dominant political voice in Pakistan remains that of Imran Khan.
“Unprecedented public enthusiasm was witnessed in Punjab, Sindh, Hazara, Peshawar region and Malakand. The followers of Imran Khan’s vision have no political equivalent,” he said.
The CM said the people’s mandate belongs to PTI founder Imran Khan and he derives his legitimacy from this mandate.
Sohail Afridi has alleged that multiple tactics were employed to prevent his appointment as KP chief minister, including constructing various narratives portraying him as associated with smugglers and militants.
“After the failure of attempts such as governor rule and regime change, efforts are now underway to undermine public confidence in the PTI,” he added.
He rejected claims that his party was hostile to the military or state institutions, saying that while he fully respected the institutions, he did not accept decisions made behind closed doors without a public mandate.
“Attempts to damage the party’s image will fail,” he added.
The PTI street movement rally started from Mingora and ended at Chakdara, with large-scale public participation and receptions all along the way, culminating with a massive rally at Chakdara.
In his concluding address at Chakdara, the CM thanked the participants for their magnificent welcome and said that the people of Malakand region have proven once again that this region possesses the full capacity to stand firmly against oppression, tyranny and injustice.
“Public mobilization and Pashtun solidarity sent a strong political message,” he said.
