Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afaridi, finds himself at the center of a significant controversy after his statements regarding a recent trip to Punjab contradicted each other, revealing a political motive behind his travels.
From Official Duty to Political Mobilization
Initially, the Chief Minister presented his visit to Punjab as part of his official business as the head of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. However, this narrative quickly unraveled. Shortly after, CM Afaridi announced that following his Punjab tour, he intended to proceed to Sindh and Balochistan. The purpose, he stated, was to meet political workers and mobilize them for agitation as part of the PTI’s ongoing street movement.
This subsequent admission effectively conceded that the visit was never about official provincial work from the start. The pretence was laid bare, showing the Chief Minister acting not in his constitutional capacity, but as a political worker tasked with energizing the PTI's base. The irony was compounded when he expressed indignation at being prevented from carrying out these political activities in Punjab, citing the weight of his official office. This stance highlights a clear contradiction: one cannot claim the privileges of high office while openly abandoning its core responsibilities.
Abandoning Province Amidst Grave Challenges
This conduct raises serious questions about priorities. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is currently witnessing near-weekly attacks by foreign-backed militants, placing its Pashtun-majority population under sustained pressure. The province desperately needs political leadership that is present, engaged with public grievances, acknowledges their losses, and works to restore morale in the face of relentless terrorism.
Instead, the Chief Minister has chosen to leave the province rudderless. More alarmingly, by framing his actions through a narrative of KP versus the rest of the country, he risks feeding into the very ethnic nationalism that groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) exploit. Such rhetoric can deepen social divisions and aid militant recruitment drives, making this approach not just irresponsible but dangerously short-sighted.
A Troubling Precedent for Governance
The situation sets a troubling precedent. A chief minister who is absent from his province while others focus on improving their citizens' lives forfeits the moral authority of his title. Currently, the PTI's chief minister in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa appears less concerned with governing than with advancing the political fortunes of Imran Khan.
This represents a deeply concerning state of affairs where the machinery of the state is potentially being leveraged for narrow political ends, even if it means disrupting state functions. The urgent need now is for a correction—a refocusing on the constitutional duties and grave security challenges within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which demand the Chief Minister's full and undivided attention.
