Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi has warned that if the ongoing operation in Tirah is not halted within the next two to three days, the provincial government will be compelled to formulate a new strategy.
Addressing a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf rally in Mingora, Suhail Afridi said that a notification issued by the federal government earlier in the day stated that residents of Tirah had not been asked to leave their area. He questioned whether the people of Tirah were relocating to attend wedding ceremonies.
He stated that when they could not be defeated politically, allegations of terrorism were leveled against them. According to him, residents of Tirah were forced to migrate, a 24-member committee was pressured, and eventually the operation was imposed.
The chief minister clarified that he is neither an enemy of the armed forces nor of state institutions but stands firmly against those who interfere in politics. He said that he had left official meetings to attend the funerals of fallen soldiers but is now neither invited nor allowed to participate in such events.
Reiterating his stance, Suhail Afridi said that if the operation is not stopped within two to three days, the provincial government will adopt a new course of action.
Regarding the release of PTI founder Imran Khan, the chief minister said that this time they would head to Islamabad with full preparation and make every possible effort to secure his release. He warned that if Imran Khan comes out of jail, no one would be spared, adding that certain elements want a confrontation between state institutions and the provincial government.
