Under the supervision of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi, the Grand Peace Jirga held in Khyber categorically rejected the ambiguity being spread regarding the displacement of people from Tirah. 

The affectees stated in clear and unequivocal terms that they did not leave their homes voluntarily, but were forcibly displaced. The participants, including the general public, tribal elders, and affectees, unanimously acknowledged that the displacement in Tirah was imposed upon them, and that they faced severe hardships during this process.

 The participants of the Jirga strongly protested against the injustice and oppression inflicted upon the people of Tirah and resolved to march towards Islamabad to seek their legitimate rights. On this occasion, Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi welcomed the decisions of the Jirga and announced that consultative jirgas would also be held in other tribal districts before proceeding to Islamabad, so that the collective opinion of all affected areas could be presented.

 He added that a joint Grand Jirga of all tribal districts would then be convened to finalize the future course of action. The Chief Minister made it clear that decisions taken behind closed doors will not be accepted under any circumstances, and that it will be stated unequivocally in Islamabad that such decisions are unacceptable. 

He categorically declared that there will be no compromise on the rights of the province and its people, and that no amount of wealth in the world can buy his conscience. Muhammad Sohail Afridi stated that from 2018 to 2022, the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had improved.

 However, through a regime change operation carried out under a foreign conspiracy, the elected government of Imran Khan was removed, after which a decision was taken to once again impose terrorism on the province.

 He said that the provincial government had issued advance warnings about the deteriorating situation, but these concerns were dismissed as lies and propaganda, and even the federal government of the time failed to act with seriousness.

Also Read : KP CM Calls Tirah Displacement “Forced,” Announces Rs4bn Aid and Grand Jirga Plan for Tribal Rights

 The Chief Minister said that it was communicated clearly that terrorists had reached the mountains, yet no action was taken. Later, it was reported that they had descended into the valleys, but again no attention was paid.

 Eventually, terrorists reached people’s homes and began taking food at gunpoint. In such circumstances, he asked, where could people go and what options did they have. 

He emphasized that the real question is not how the terrorists obtained food, but how they were allowed to reach people’s homes, and where the security forces responsible for stopping them were. The Chief Minister stated that drone strikes were subsequently carried out on homes, and innocent civilians martyred were portrayed as terrorists. He said that even an innocent girl was martyred, and that peaceful protesters were fired upon, resulting in the loss of more precious lives. 

He asserted that all these actions were taken to create justification and pave the way for a military operation. Muhammad Sohail Afridi said that he had already pointed out that an operation in Tirah was being used as a means to deliberately weaken them, despite the fact that heavy snowfall was expected in the area.

 His warnings were ignored. Despite repeated objections, the people of Tirah were forcibly displaced, and when the decisions taken behind closed doors appeared to be failing, a press release was issued to falsely suggest that residents were leaving the area voluntarily. 

He said that such a press release is, in fact, tantamount to a vote of no confidence in one’s own institutions. The Chief Minister stated that while tribal people continue to make sacrifices for Pakistan, they are simultaneously being subjected to false propaganda. He said this amounts to a mockery of the tribal population, but stressed that the people of the province will not allow this mockery to succeed this time.  

He stated that it must be clearly understood that tribal people are law-abiding citizens, and that terrorism is the outcome of misguided and flawed policies, not communities. He also rejected the impression being created as to why the provincial government allocated four billion rupees for the affectees of Tirah, clarifying that this was in fact the constitutional responsibility of the federal government, which the provincial government is fulfilling from its own resources. 

The Chief Minister recalled that during previous operations, the federal government had promised to provide four hundred thousand rupees to families who have lost their homes, a promise that remains unfulfilled to this day. 

He expressed astonishment that those in power spend hundreds of thousands on their personal luxuries, while for the reconstruction of destroyed homes of the affectees, only four lakhs rupees are announced, and even that amount is not paid. He said such conduct should be a matter of shame. 

The Chief Minister further stated that promises made to internally displaced persons (IDPs) have not been honored, whereas the provincial government has so far paid more than Rs 7.00 billion from its own resources. He added that 52 billion rupees in IDP dues are still payable by the federal government. In addition, he said that a total of 4758 billion rupees remain outstanding to the province from the federation. 

Muhammad Sohail Afridi announced that a Chief Minister Relief Account would be established for the affectees and that the registration process would be expedited to ensure that no affected family faces further hardship.

 He also informed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited him for a meeting on provincial rights, where he will present the case of the people of the province with full force and determination. The Chief Minister said that he would also visit other tribal districts, emphasizing that all tribes have made unparalleled sacrifices for Pakistan.

  He pointed out that a certain mindset is unhappy with his appointment as Chief Minister because it does not want the tribal population to fully integrate into the national mainstream.

 He emphasized that tribal people are educated, patriotic, and law-abiding citizens, and affirmed that the struggle for their rights will continue strictly within the framework of the Constitution and the law.

The Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi also expressed deep sorrow and grief over the recent incidents of terrorism in Balochistan, strongly condemned these acts, and stated that the provincial government stands in full solidarity with the families of the martyrs.