PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi said here on Sunday that all ‘state institutions’ should function within their constitutional mandate as governance was adversely affected when they intervened in matters beyond their constitutional remit.

He stated that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been subjected to discriminatory treatment for the past 78 years and made testing ground for policies, shaped by external powers, according to a statement.

Addressing Traders Convention organised by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Traders Wing in Nishtar Hall, Mr Afridi said that KP should not continue to serve as testing ground for every new experiment. He said that people of KP could not be treated as expendable.

He said that the decision, regarding Pakistan’s participation in the US-led war against terrorism, was not driven by national interests of the country but by the military leadership, the repercussions of which were disproportionately borne by the people of KP.

CM alleges KP subjected to discriminatory treatment

The chief minister said that nearly 80,000 lives had been sacrificed in the fight against terrorism to restore peace. He paid tribute to the people of the province and the country’s security forces.

He alleged that following the removal of PTI government led by Imran Khan, a new policy framework resulted in the resurgence of terrorism. He stated that his party had consistently warned that militants were regrouping and peace would once again come under threat, but those warnings were dismissed as propaganda.

He said that PTI had cautioned that renewed terrorism would lead to further loss of life and inflict severe damage on businesses and economic activities.

He said that no individual or group should be allowed to pursue personal or financial interests at the cost of the lives of KP people.

Referring to the prevailing security situation, the chief minister said that challenges confronting KP had intensified and similar circumstances had emerged in Balochistan, with their effects extending beyond the two provinces.

He also expressed concern over violence affecting the people of Jammu and Kashmir, reiterating Pakistan’s longstanding position that Kashmir was the country’s jugular vein.

Mr Afridi said that lasting peace and stability could not be achieved solely through use of force.

If military force alone was sufficient to resolve such challenges, KP would have achieved complete peace after more than two decades of counterterrorism operations, he added.

“Why, despite 78 years of experience, the country’s governance system failed to deliver lasting stability,” he questioned, referring to recent public statements by a federal minister regarding the collapse of the system.

The chief minister questioned as to why individuals, who had damaged the country’s governance system, were subsequently brought to power. He reiterated his party’s longstanding position that the existing system failed to deliver.

He said that Pakistan required leadership that enjoyed the confidence of people and possessed the capacity to steer the country out of present crisis. He said that the use of force against peaceful protesters could not provide a sustainable solution to political disputes.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2026