PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi has invited Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz to visit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying she would be shown how a Chief Executive of a province is received with respect in a democratic and civilised manner. He was speaking to with senior journalists, anchorpersons, digital media representatives, bureau chiefs of television channels, and Noreen Khan Niazi, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan on third day of his visit to Lahore. He also issued an open challenge to Chief Minister Punjab to hold a public rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that if the form-47 bogus governments maintain that people do not respond to Imran Khan’s call, she should take a week to prepare and then organise a rally in KP, while he would hold one in Punjab. KP CM to hold rally at Minar-e-Pakistan today The Chief Minister clarified that PTI had won 180 seats from Punjab in the last general elections, terming it proof of the party’s public support and asserting that people had responded to Imran Khan’s call in the past and remained ready to do so. He maintained that the current illegal government, which came through “Form 47”, had no connection with the public and was completely disconnected from ground realities. Referring to his observations during the visit, the Chief Minister said he was “deeply shocked” after witnessing ground realities in Punjab. He said that the level of force and coercion being used by the Punjab government had no precedent in the country’s history and likened it to the imposition of a “dark law from the past”, resulting in collective accountability. He said that repression and coercion committed by the Punjab government had reached unprecedented levels, creating an atmosphere of fear through raids, harassment and arrests of party workers. He added that hundreds of PTI workers had been arrested even before his arrival in Lahore and that roads were repeatedly blocked during his movements, causing inconvenience even to the general public. Such treatment of an elected Chief Minister, he said, was against democratic norms and reflected an authoritarian mindset that could push the country in a dangerous direction. He also urged Punjab’s media to raise its voice against what he described as oppression of the public, even if coverage of PTI activities was being restricted. Commenting on counterterrorism policy, the Chief Minister said that around 22 major military operations and nearly 22,000 intelligence-based operations had been conducted so far, yet terrorism had not been eliminated. He argued that collateral damage from such operations fuelled extremism and said the government must explain the outcomes of these sacrifices. If desired results had not been achieved, he added, a change in policy was necessary. He stressed that any effective strategy against terrorism required consultation with all stakeholders, including provincial governments, tribal elders, religious scholars and affected communities. Policies formulated through broad consultation, he said, would be practical and enjoy public support, unlike decisions taken behind closed doors. The Chief Minister recalled that a Grand Jirga convened by the KP government in the provincial assembly, attended by political parties, religious leaders, tribal elders and other stakeholders, had unanimously adopted a 15-point declaration stating that military operations were not a solution. He said this position was now shared by all political and religious stakeholders in the province. At the conclusion of his visit, the Chief Minister paid respects at the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal and offered Fateha. Speaking there with media persons, he said that the Punjab administration had created obstacles during his visit to the mausoleum, adding that lights were switched off, shops closed and people prevented from gathering, despite prior intimation. He also said he was stopped from visiting the residence of Hassan Niazi, terming these actions reflective of a “fascist” approach. He said such incidents were not limited to him alone and that the public was witnessing what he described as the moral and political decline of the government. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025