Closed-Door Policy Decisions Cost KP 80,000 Lives, Says Chief Minister Sohail Afridi

By Dr. Ansab Ali, Lahore, Pakistan

SWAT: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Thursday criticized what he described as “closed-door policy decisions,” claiming they had cost the province nearly 80,000 lives, including civilians, police personnel, Pakistan Army soldiers, and members of other security agencies.

Addressing a ceremony in Kabal, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of several development projects, including the University of Computing Sciences and Information Technology, the chief minister said the security policy introduced in 2004 had failed. He added that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan had previously pointed out its shortcomings, and that recent developments had reinforced those concerns.

Afridi urged policymakers to reassess their security strategy and engage with the public to achieve lasting peace. He questioned why militant groups had not been eliminated despite more than two decades of counterterrorism efforts, saying the situation required serious institutional review. He alleged that flawed policies had contributed to the resurgence of terrorism in the province.

The chief minister also reiterated that no taxes would be imposed in the merged tribal districts (former FATA) or the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA). He announced that a jirga had been convened at the Chief Minister’s House to discuss the issue, noting that the PTI government had introduced tax exemptions in 2018, which were later extended until 2023.

He said the people of Malakand Division and the former tribal districts had made immense sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, endured displacement, and therefore should not face additional tax burdens.

Expressing optimism about the province’s security situation, Afridi said he believed peace would return to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year through the efforts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). He added that he remained committed to his political principles and would continue to oppose policies he believed were not in the public interest.

During the ceremony, the chief minister inaugurated the Rs9.9 billion University of Computing Sciences and Information Technology in Kabal, which currently offers four BS and two MS programmes to 269 students. He also inaugurated the Rs395 million Badalai Bridge, the Rs214 million Special Children School and Teacher Training Centre, and the Kabal Police Facilitation Centre.

Additionally, he laid the foundation stone of the Rs1.437 billion Wenei–Gat Road Project and announced that the under-construction Paeds Hospital in Kabal would be completed soon to improve healthcare services for local residents.