KP CM-elect seeks Afghan policy reset, vows allegiance to Imran
“Sohail Afridi urges a rethink of Pakistan’s Afghan policy in his first speech.”
Key points
- Sohail Afridi urges a rethink of Pakistan’s Afghan policy in his first speech.
- Says anti-terror strategy must include tribal elders and local stakeholders.
- Wins the CM vote amid an opposition boycott and procedural disputes.
- Vows loyalty to Imran Khan and warns against moving the PTI founder.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister-elect Sohail Afridi used his maiden address to the provincial assembly to demand a review of Pakistan’s approach toward Afghanistan, arguing that counter-terrorism must be shaped in consultation with tribal elders, elected representatives and local communities. Afridi, who secured 90 votes amid an opposition boycott, said the province bore the brunt of militancy and that policy should reflect ground realities rather than distant assumptions.
He tied his political mandate to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan, declaring himself a champion of confrontational politics and warning that the party would paralyse the country if Khan were moved without consultation. Afridi pledged to examine alleged irregularities in the February 8 general elections and portrayed his own rise as that of a middle-class politician from the tribal districts rather than a dynastic heir.
His election unfolded under uncertainty after Governor Faisal Karim Kundi questioned the authenticity of former CM Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation, a dispute that cast procedural shadows over the transition. Afridi insisted he would push ahead with governance and security priorities while political and legal questions are settled.
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