Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Thursday said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) would launch a street movement with “full force” in line with directives issued by party founder Imran Khan. He said the party was prepared to follow decisions taken by the opposition alliance, Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan, regarding negotiations or resistance.
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Addressing a jirga in his hometown of Bara, Mr Afridi said Imran Khan had delegated authority on political engagement with the government to the opposition alliance. He added that PTI would fully accept and abide by whatever course of action the alliance decided.
The chief minister rejected claims that the provincial government had approved a military operation in the Tirah area of Khyber tribal district. He said a coordinated propaganda campaign was underway to create a misleading impression regarding the provincial government’s role in the matter.
وزیر اعلیٰ سہیل آفریدی نے سٹریٹ موومنٹ کا آغاز کر دیا۔۔۔✊✊ pic.twitter.com/GBOB5smMHc
— Shahab Gondal (@ghega_shahab) December 25, 2025
عمران خان کا پیغام ملتے ہی سٹریٹ موومنٹ کی تیاری شروع کردی ہے، ہم ہر گلی ہر مارکیٹ میں جائیں گے۔
وزیر اعلیٰ سہیل آفریدی pic.twitter.com/QCirMmPfOG— Kamran Khan (@GKamranKhan) December 20, 2025
Mr Afridi said the operation in Tirah was planned without taking the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government into confidence. He added that the tribal region was not a testing ground but home to people who had made immense sacrifices for the country.
He questioned the rationale of launching a military operation during heavy snowfall, saying such decisions defied logic and would only increase hardships for the local population. He reiterated PTI’s opposition to military operations, arguing they had historically brought suffering to innocent tribal residents.
The chief minister said the former PTI government was removed through what he described as an illegal process, followed by a sustained campaign against the party. He said PTI would continue to counter what it termed false narratives through political struggle.
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Referring to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Grand Peace Jirga, Mr Afridi said it had unanimously opposed a new military operation and presented a 15-point declaration for lasting peace. He added that the denial of promised development funds for merged tribal districts had hampered progress, but his government would not compromise on the rights of tribal areas.