PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Wednesday voiced serious concern over the ‘abrupt’ cancellation of a high-level meeting convened by the federal government to deliberate on the prevailing national and regional issues.

The meeting, meant to bring together provincial leadership, was cancelled without explanation, raising questions about the federal government’s commitment to “cooperative federalism and coordinated policy response”, according to an official statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office in Peshawar.

Addressing a news conference at the KP House, Islamabad, Mr Afridi said that despite profound political differences and sustained political victimisation faced by the PTI over the last three years, the provincial government had taken a principled decision to participate in the meeting in the “larger national interest”.

He added that the decision was made notwithstanding the treatment meted out to jailed former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan, his wife, Bushra Bibi, his family members, party leadership and workers, which had “few” parallels in the country’s political history.

Complains critical national decisions being taken without adequate consultation

Highlighting the evolving regional situation, especially tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States, the chief minister said that the situation’s implications for Pakistan were significant and far-reaching.

“Despite the gravity of the situation, the federal government hasn’t meaningfully engaged the people or parliament nor has it given a transparent policy direction,” he said.

Mr Afridi said that critical national decisions were being taken without adequate consultation, limiting public awareness and institutional alignment, while at the same time reiterated that decisions of national consequence extended beyond any single family or institution and had implications for the entire country.

He stressed the importance of inclusive governance and the need to take all stakeholders into confidence.

The chief minister noted that while former prime minister Imran Khan’s party PTI received a clear public mandate during the last general elections, neither he nor his party had been engaged in deliberations related to key national decisions, which raised concerns regarding democratic inclusivity.

He complained that a scheduled meeting of the committee on the Accelerated Implementation Programme wouldn’t take place as the federal government had conveyed its inability to participate, showing a lack of seriousness on its part to address KP’s financial concerns.

Mr Afridi said that under the AIP, the federal government had committed the release of Rs100 billion funds annually for 10 years.

“Only Rs168 billion out of the committed Rs700 billion funds has been released to date, with no allocation made in the current fiscal year,” he said.

The chief minister said that the provincial government had extendedRs26 billion worth of bridge financing from its own resources to sustain development activities in the merged tribal districts.

He complained that the share of the merged tribal districts had not been adequately incorporated into the NFC framework, an act of the federal government inconsistent with constitutional provisions.

“Approximately Rs964 billion whose payment to KP and its merged districts has been pending for the last eight years has not been allocated accordingly,” he said.

Mr Afridi said out of that amount, Punjab received Rs567.9 billion, Sindh Rs278.1 billion and Balochistan Rs118.1 billion, which rightfully belonged to KP and its merged districts.

On economic management and public expenditure, he said that the KP government had proactively implemented austerity measures, including reductions in fuel consumption by public officials in addition to the reduction initiated during the Covid-19 period, which continued to remain in place.

The chief minister said additional measures included restrictions on the procurement of new vehicles, strict controls on foreign travel subject to cabinet approval, and a shift toward virtual meetings to conserve resources.

“In contrast, the federal government has incurred over $5 billion in debt over the last seven months, while continuing with high-value expenditure, including the procurement of luxury aircraft and the hiring of pilots on $70,000 salaries,” he complained.

Mr Afridi said that such actions raised concerns about fiscal prioritisation, particularly in a context where economic pressures on people were intensifying.

He observed that key economic indicators reflected a challenging outlook. He noted a decline in GDP growth from 6.1 per cent prior to the change in government in 2022 to below three per cent at the moment, contraction in industrial activity, closures within the textile sector, a widening trade deficit exceeding $20 billion, declining exports, increasing outward migration of youth due to limited economic opportunities, and stress within the agricultural sector affecting farmers’ livelihoods.

The chief minister said that fuel prices had increased sharply, with petrol reaching around Rs321 per litre, significantly increasing the financial burden on people.

He contrasted this with the previous government period, when petrol prices were around Rs150 per litre despite higher global oil prices in the range of $117-120 per barrel, compared to roughly $85 per barrel currently.

“This disparity underscores the need for more effective economic management and targeted relief measures to protect the public from inflationary pressures,” he said.

Mr Afridi said that despite prevailing challenges, the provincial government remained committed to national stability and was prepared to contribute constructively in times of crisis.

He, however, said that the burden of sacrifice must be shared equitably across all federating units, particularly in financial terms.

The chief minister urged the federal government and relevant national institutions to adopt a “more transparent, consultative and inclusive approach” by engaging parliament and the public in decision-making processes and taking timely and coordinated measures to address the evolving national challenges.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2026