PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Tuesday said he was prepared to engage even with those he personally disliked for the sake of the province, but only on the basis of equality and without any pressure or threats.
“I will sit with everyone for the rights of my people and the province. I will sit even with those I dislike—but on the basis of equality,” Afridi said while addressing the annual convocation of the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Peshawar. “We will not sit with anyone under threats, nor for personal benefit,” he added.
The chief minister, who attended the ceremony along with MPA Meena Khan Afridi, congratulated 620 graduating students of the academic year 2025. Degrees awarded included 537 BS, 38 MS and four PhDs across disciplines such as industrial, mechatronics, computer systems and electronics engineering.
Afridi said outdated curricula had previously produced “forces of unemployed people,” but the introduction of modern scientific courses had begun to change that trend. “With new subjects and programmes, students are now getting jobs even before graduating,” he noted, adding that there was no shortage of talent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, only a lack of opportunities.
Touching on political issues, the chief minister said the province had long suffered from unrest, depriving its youth of the chance to progress. “This time it will not happen. We will not make K-P an experimental laboratory again,” he declared.
Afridi claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government at the Centre had been removed through a conspiracy. “Imran Khan’s government was toppled in closed rooms,” he alleged. However, he acknowledged that meetings had been held with the Apex Committee and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the security situation, adding that further discussions were under way to restore law and order.
He also lashed out at rising inflation, claiming it had reached 45 per cent, and accused authorities of ignoring massive corruption. “The IMF has issued a charge sheet of Rs5,300 billion in corruption, but no one seems to care,” Afridi said, alleging that taxpayers’ money had been embezzled while public attention was diverted elsewhere.
Criticising what he described as silence over corruption and forced evacuations, Afridi said, “For 58 years, an imposed mindset has tried to keep our people from progressing. Even raising Rs4 billion for Tirah affectees causes an uproar.”
Warning of public anger, he said, “If we do not raise our voice, we will keep carrying funerals. We are tired of carrying funerals. We will raise the banner of rebellion against those buying islands with public money. I stand like a rock for your rights.”
The chief minister vowed to recover Rs4,700 billion in outstanding dues from the federal government. “With your support, I will obtain the province’s withheld dues,” he said, adding that his government would make every possible effort to tackle unemployment and create jobs beyond the public sector.
