PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi on Thursday condemned the “disappearance” of two activists of the banned Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), declaring it an act against Pakhtun norms.

“Whoever has done so is an enemy of peace in KP. Military leadership in the province should look into this matter,” the chief minister told reporters outside Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi.

On Thursday, PTM activists claimed on social media that Noorullah Tareen and Hanif Pashteen, who attended the Peace Jirga organised by the provincial government in the KP Assembly, had gone missing as they could not be contacted.

PTM central committee member Zakim Khan Wazir took to X and insisted that the two activists were “abducted” just after they left the jirga though they attended the moot on the invitation of the PTI government.

Says military leadership in province should look into it

He said the “action” taken out under the chief minister’s directions were neither in line with Pakhtunwali nor was it conformed to the local traditions.

Talking to media persons outside Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi, the chief minister said that the enforced disappearance of two PTM representatives was against Pakhtun traditions.

He said that the peace jirga was held in line with Pakhtun traditions, with participants being the guests of the government until they returned home.

“Whoever did this [enforced disappearance of PTM workers]has violated Pakhtun traditions. I ask Peshawar’s corps commander to look into the matter because it will have serious consequences,” he said.

Also, PTI lawmaker in the National Assembly Sher Ali Arbab said that he was in contact with the PTM leadership and hoped that the “missing” workers would be recovered soon.

“With regards to the disappearance of PTM members, we are in contact with Peshawar police and PTM’s provincial president Khairul Amin lala. Insha Allah, they will be recovered soon,” Mr Arbab tweeted on X.

He said that he and the chief minister were “very serious about the matter.”

“I am in contact with Peshawar’s CCPO for the safe recovery of abductees,” Mr Arbab told Dawn over the phone.

He said a few months ago, PTM’s Peshawar coordinator was abducted, so he wrote to the provincial police chief for his recovery.

When contacted, senior government officials insisted that the PTM workers were not in police custody.

They refused to offer further comments on the matter.

The PTM workers had refused to stand up when the national anthem was played before the peace jirga began, generating controversy and inviting condemnation from politicians and social media activists.

Awami National Party president Senator Aimal Wali Khan said remaining seated while the national anthem was played was “nonsense and a disrespectful act.”

“There is something called sense and respect. You have the sense to give respect and you earn respect. Sitting down while a national anthem is played is nonsense and [an act of] disrespect. I will respect any anthems and will stand up for them,” Mr Khan tweeted on X.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2025