Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday claimed the federal government owed the province Rs550 billion, calling for the National Finance Commission (NFC) meeting to be convened immediately.

He made these remarks while addressing a jirga in the province’s Khyber district today. Last week, CM Afridi had called for a grand peace jirga in a bid to discuss avenues for “establishment of peace” in the province.

“After 9/11, Pakistan entered a foreign war without our consent,” CM Afridi said, referring to the attacks of Sept 11, 2001, when deadly plane hijackings claimed almost 3,000 lives.

“It was said that Pakistan needs sacrifices. For Pakistan, we left our houses. Drone strikes and military operations started here,” Afridi said.

“We were made the scapegoats,” he told the crowd. “Our homes, markets, and mosques were destroyed, yet we gave sacrifices for Pakistan.”

The chief minister warned against the launching of any new military operation in the province’s tribal districts, saying the people will “not be made into scapegoats again”.

Afridi added that despite the claims of security forces in 2018 that Khyber district and other tribal areas had been cleared [of militants], “preparations are again being made for new military operations”.

The newly elected provincial chief executive said KP stands with the state when it comes to peace, but “under no circumstance will we support collateral damage”.

“If any innocent life is lost this time, there will be accountability,” Afridi said.

He also demanded that any future decisions regarding the region “must include the provincial government and parliamentarians from KP,” rejecting decisions made behind “closed doors”.

PTI leadership meet at CM House

Prior to the jirga, a meeting of PTI’s senior leadership took place at CM House in Peshawar, according to a statement by press secretary to CM Sahibzada Hassan.

Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar, CM Sohail Afridi, PTI Provincial President Junaid Akbar, Asad Qaiser and other leaders participated in the meeting, per the statement. The law and order situation of the province was discussed in detail during the meeting.

It was decided to convene a peace jirga in the KP Assembly, with former CMs, governors, scholars, jirga leaders, civil society, lawyers and important personalities to be invited.

“The aim of the peace jirga is to eliminate terrorism and formulate a unified strategy for sustainable peace,” said the statement. “Participants of the meeting paid tribute to the sacrifices of the police.’

“Provincial government stands by the police force,” CM Afridi was quoted as saying. “Providing modern equipment, training and resources to the police is the top priority of the government.”

Rise in terrorist incidents

Pakistan has witnessed a rise in terrorist incidents, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke a fragile ceasefire deal with the state in November 2022 and vowed to target security officials, police, and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) personnel.

Earlier this week, Afridi claimed that the resurgence of terrorism being witnessed in the province was due to the “flawed policy” of the federal government.

The PTI, which has been in power in KP since 2013, opposes military operations, which are also resisted by tribal people as they often lead to displacements.

Although the federal government in August ruled out a new offensive, it continues counterterrorism operations under the National Action Plan. A military operation looms over the Kurram district, where people have started leaving their homes, while a targeted action is planned in Bajaur’s War Mamund tehsil.