PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Wednesday called for a “policy shift” in the country’s counter-terrorism approach and urged the federal government to include the provincial administration in policy-making.
The remarks come amid criticism from federal authorities, who have blamed the PTI-led KP government for failing to maintain security in the province. KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has said the party is in disarray and unable to deliver on its policy objectives.
Addressing the convocation ceremony at the University of Peshawar, CM Afridi said the people of KP had repeatedly warned about the resurgence of terrorism but were dismissed as spreading propaganda.
“We warned that terrorists were hiding in the mountains and advancing towards our markets and homes,” he said. “Instead, we were accused of spreading propaganda.”
He stressed that any military operation must be carried out with the confidence and consent of the people of KP and their elected representatives.
“There has to be a policy shift, but not one decided behind closed doors,” Afridi said. “Counter-terrorism policy should be formulated in consultation with the KP government, the people and all relevant stakeholders.”
He warned that decisions taken without consultation would only prolong suffering. “A transparent and inclusive policy can bring lasting peace. Decisions made behind closed doors have caused our people to suffer for the past 17 years,” he added.
The chief minister said the KP government and the federal authorities appeared to have “different intentions” on the issue of terrorism. “If the aim was truly to eradicate terrorism, they would have sat with us to develop a joint policy,” he said.
Referring to the impact of militancy and military operations, Afridi said residents had made enormous sacrifices. He recalled that compensation of Rs400,000 was promised to families whose homes were destroyed by terrorism, but many had yet to receive the amount.
“After all the sacrifices, imagine being told this — and even then, the money has not been paid,” he said.
He further noted that collateral damage from military operations and terrorist attacks often left families without breadwinners, pushing them into economic hardship.
According to the Annual Security Report 2025 by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), terrorism and counter-terrorism-related violence escalated sharply nationwide in 2025. Fatalities rose from 2,555 in 2024 to 3,417 in 2025 — an increase of 862 deaths, or nearly 34 per cent year-on-year.
The report said the sharpest rise was recorded in KP, where fatalities increased from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025 — an increase of 711 deaths. This accounted for over 82 per cent of the national rise, marking a nearly 44 per cent surge in violence in the province.
Meanwhile, on January 2, KP Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed said police had foiled hundreds of terror-related plots, particularly in the southern and merged tribal districts, despite operating under constant threat.
He said police neutralised 459 terrorists and arrested more than 1,300 militants — including 29 with head money — during 3,277 intelligence-based operations carried out across the province last year.
The police also recovered a large cache of weapons, including hand grenades, explosives, pistols, and ammunition.
