SWABI: PTI central leader and secretary general Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Aine Pakistan Asad Qaiser has said here on Saturday that a foundation of a new devastating war has been laid in our region.

Addressing a public gathering; he said that since the occupation of Afghanistan by the Red Army in December 1979, KP had always suffered due to continued war on Afghan soil and this era had witnessed several ups and downs, warning the new phase would be more dangerous.

“Kalashnikov culture is the outcome of Afghan war; drug menace for the last few decades is derailing our youngsters and depriving them from contributing to the country and their families.

“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has borne the brunt of decades of conflict, terrorism and official neglect, leaving its economy and social fabric deeply scarred,” he said.

Suggests resolution of issues through dialogue

He said the Afghan war had undermined local businesses and was creating insecurity that continued to affect the people to this day. He said the post-9/11 war on terror “completed the destruction”, claiming thousands of lives including those of police and military personnel and rendering many families and businesses homeless.

The former speaker said that traders in Peshawar could not compete with their counterparts in Lahore and Karachi due to prolonged instability in the province, which had prompted investors to shift their operations elsewhere.

He added that economic stability would remain elusive until trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian states was fully restored.

Warning that “a new conflict is once again being engineered in the region”, he said the people could not afford another cycle of violence. He urged that diplomacy be prioritised and countries pushing for peace should continue their efforts.

Turning to the issue of Imran Khan’s prison meetings, Asad Qaiser said the former prime minister was not being allowed visits in line with the jail manual, which guaranteed every prisoner the right to meet family members. He termed the denial of meetings with Mr Khan’s family and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister “a violation of basic human rights”.

“We must not be pushed against the wall,” he warned the government, adding: “There would be serious retaliation, if the same continued.” He said his party believed in constitutionalism and wanted all decisions to be taken strictly within the ambit of the Constitution.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2025