PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Wednesday urged Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to hold dialogue with the federal government to resolve issues.

“Let’s sit down with Centre and security agencies to bring peace, development and prosperity to the province,” the governor told reporters during a visit to Bara tehsil in Khyber tribal district.

He said that usually, 20 per cent of the local population migrated from Tirah valley during winters but the percentage was 50-60 this year due to the provincial government’s repeated claims about a “planned” military operation against militants in the area.

“Statements were repeatedly made that perhaps an operation will be conducted in Tirah, so people vacated their homes,” he said.

Claims Tirah people vacated their homes due to govt’s claims about planned operation

The governor said that in his opinion, the reason for the tribesmen’s sufferings was failure and weakness of the provincial government.

He said that the KP government had issued a barrage of statements compelling Tirah residents to leave the area and that the tribesmen realised the situation was different when they reached Bara.

Mr Kundi noted that usually, people didn’t live in tent villages after evacuating during the winter, but stayed with the host families.

He stressed that whenever a military operation was planned, official statements were issued and necessary preparations were made.

The governor said the PPP was an ally of the PML-N-led ruling coalition in the Centre, so if there was an issue between them, a committee or a jirga should be constituted and he, along with opposition members from the KP Assembly, would accompany representatives of the provincial government.

He said that the PTI was willing to hold jirgas with militants but was not ready to convene a jirga or sit with Punjab or the Centre to resolve issues.

Mr Kundi said that the Governor’s House and the opposition parties in the KP Assembly were ready to play their role for peace in the province but the provincial government should bring forth its case.

He also said that since CM hailed from merged districts, he should provide a solution for the injustices that he said people there had faced in the past.

“I will again ask my province’s government to come to its senses. Leave aside Qaidi No 804 [imprisoned PTI founder Imran Khan], he will come out of jail after facing punishment for his acts,” he said.

The governor said that PTI had the option to form two parties, one for its “Tehreek-i-Intishaar” (disorder movement) and the other to run the province.

He said that the chief minister should work for the province’s development since people often requested facilitation for their medical treatment in Sindh and other places.

Mr Kundi asked the chief minister to fix KP’s governance and take steps for peace in the province.

Accompanying Leader of the Opposition in the provincial assembly Dr Ibadullah said the visit was meant to meet people who had come from Tirah, check the ground situation and discuss with them the issues facing them.

“This is our duty, these are our people,” he said.

Mr Ibadullah said CM Afridi was playing politics on everything though certain issues shouldn’t be politicised.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2026