KHYBER: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Sunday announced plans for a protest march towards Islamabad after consultations with relevant stakeholders, and a grand jirga in this regard would be convened before a date was finalised.

Addressing a peace jirga at the Jamrud Sports Complex, attended by thousands, the CM sought the participants’ views on whether they would accompany him to the federal capital to register protest over alleged atrocities in Tirah, the displacement of residents and a federal government “U-turn” on a military operation in the restive valley.

He said he would visit the merged districts to take residents into confidence and would then convene a grand jirga of the province ahead of announcing the march.

“We will decide during the grand jirga that only the people are entitled to rule Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as it belongs to them and that no decisions made behind closed doors on the soil of Islamabad will be acceptable anymore,” he said, amid slogans from the crowd.

Afridi vows to raise issue with PM Shehbaz, seeks provincial dues

Referring to criticism over the use of Rs4 billion pledged for internally displaced families from Tirah, the CM said he would not hesitate to approve Rs100bn if needed, arguing that the federal government had not fulfilled its promises, including the payment of Rs400,000 to families displaced in previous operations as compensation for property damage.

Responding to allegations of corruption in the utilisation of the Rs4bn, he said any irregularities would be dealt with and those found guilty would face exemplary punishment.

He also called on the federal government to investigate alleged misuse of Rs5,300bn in federal departments and demanded the release of Rs4,758bn owed to the KP government over the past several years.

“This is a discriminatory attitude with the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as we are considered second-class citizens, but I will continue to raise my voice against this injustice,” he said.

The chief minister said he would travel to Islamabad on Monday (today) to meet the prime minister to press the case for the province’s rights and seek the release of outstanding dues.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2026