Pakistan: New Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM rules out military operation in restive province

Islamabad: Newly-elected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has expressed opposition to carrying out military operation in the province, local media reported on Tuesday.

In his first address at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly after being elected as the 30th Chief Minister of the Pakistani province, Afridi highlighted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s stance against military operations and called for an inclusive approach towards policy making, Pakistan-based Samaa TV reported. He said that no military operation would take place until he is in office and mentioned that Imran Khan has always opposed such policy.

“Military operations are not a solution to any problem. Imran Khan is against operations, and as long as we are here, no such move will be allowed,” he said adding that decisions regarding the region, particularly the tribal areas, should not be taken in “closed rooms”.

Urging national leadership to take provincial government into confidence on matters of border and security, he called for reviewing Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy, stressing that the peace and stability of the region relied on mutual understanding and consultation.

“There was no issue with Afghanistan during Imran Khan’s tenure. Today, Afghans are being pushed out after 40 years. Whatever new policy you make, please take the tribal people and KP government into confidence,” he said.

Afridi was elected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s CM on Monday during an assembly session conducted amid the opposition’s walkout and uncertainty about the resignation of outgoing CM Ali Amin Gandapur, Pakistan’s leading daily Dawn reported.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, who went ahead with the election despite the opposition walkout, said that the three opposition candidates — Maulana Lutfur Rehman, Sardar Shah Jehan Yousaf, and Arbab Zarak Khan — all received zero votes.

Noting that three members of the assembly were out of the country, Swati said that Afridi secured win in the election as he received 90 votes. Afridi needed at least 73 votes in the 145-member Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to secure victory in the elections. Out of 53 opposition members, 51 walked out of the assembly on the call given by the opposition leader while remaining two lawmakers were not present during the session.

Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition Ibadullah said that they do not accept Afridi as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s CM. He said that the province was having “two chief ministers” now as Gandapur’s resignation was not accepted.

Notably, Ali Amin Gandapur submitted two separate resignations to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi. However, both the resignations have been returned over “disparate signatures” and Kundi has summoned Gandapur on October 15 to resolve the matter.

IANS