PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi said on Sunday that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would not become part of any ‘failed’ policy as lasting peace in the region could only be restored by making decisions in consultation with tribal elders and provincial government.

Addressing a jirga comprising parliamentarians and elders from Bajaur tribal district in Chief Minister’s House here, he said that peace had been restored in 2018, however, deliberate attempts were being made to worsen the situation.

He stated that decisions, taken behind closed doors, had always worsened the situation.

Sources privy to the meeting said that participants discussed law and order and development schemes in Bajaur district. They said that situation could not be brought under control until all the stakeholders were on the same page.

“Governments are run with wisdom. There should be a mechanism where all the stakeholders agree on a point and be on the same page. That is how I believe things will normalise,” former governor Shaukatullah told Dawn.

Elders from Bajaur, Khyber and Kurram apprise chief minister of their issues

Others said that there were issues but they were performing duty, protecting their areas and never allowed outsiders to stay on their land. “As far as military operations are concerned, you know well that the chief minister himself is helpless and cannot stop it in his own hometown, how do you expect him to stop such action in Bajaur,” a participant told this scribe on condition of anonymity.

He said that development in the merged district was also discussed in detail in the meeting.

He said that the chief minister promised that if the funds, promised by federal government for merged districts, were not released, he would cut funds from other developmental projects and divert them to Bajaur.

A statement issued by Chief Minister’s House said that the participants of jirga presented suggestions for establishing permanent peace and expressed full confidence in the chief minister, assuring him all out support.

The jirga discussed law and order situation in the province, improvement in Pak-Afghan relations and development strategy.

It said that the chief minister announced increasing compensation for partially damaged houses in Bajaur from Rs0.16 million to Rs0.5 million following recent operations. He said that federal government had promised Rs1 billion annually at the time when the previously tribal areas were being merged with KP, however, over the past seven years, only Rs168 billion was released.

He said that federal government was not providing funds for Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP). He issued direction for increasing the upper age limit for recruitment in police department in merged districts.

Also, in another jirga with members from Kurram and Khyber districts, the chief minister said that he understood the agony of military operations. He added that he would not leave his people alone.

He told the jirga members that sectarian issues caused damage and enemies took advantage of the situation. He said that he would soon visit Kurram to resolve issues of displaced persons. He ordered registration of those people, who had left their homes due to the law and order situation, within one week.

Our correspondent from Mansehra adds: Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi said that the street movement launched from Karachi on the directive of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan would bring revolutionary changes in political system of the country.

“This mammoth crowd, which gathered at midnight to welcome the convoy of the street movement from Haripur to different parts of Hazara, is an eye-opener for the government. The people want immediate release of PTI jailed founding chairman, Imran Khan,” he said while addressing cheering crowds at Khatm-i-Nubowat Chowk and College Doraha in small hours of Sunday.

PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, the speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Babar Saleem Swati, PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar and deputy president Kamal Saleem Swati were also present on the occasion.

The chief minister said that the street movement had successfully mobilised people from Sindh to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and would soon reach every nook and corner of the country.

“We want to make it clear to the government that this time it cannot suppress the people’s street movement. We have turned every city and every square into D-Chowk,” he said.

Mr Afridi said the country needed Imran Khan’s leadership to steer it out of the prevailing socio-political and economic crises, accusing federal government of failing to address those challenges.

The convoy of the street movement entered Mansehra through Karakoram Highway at Datta, proceeded through Ghazikot and concluded at College Doraha in the early hours of Sunday.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2026