Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has said he is prepared to leave office rather than change his political position, as tensions continue over the province’s security policy.
Speaking at a law and order meeting in Peshawar, Afridi dismissed warnings about a possible emergency or governor’s rule. He said such measures would not force him to change his position and argued that remaining in office was not more important than standing by his principles.
Afridi also questioned the effectiveness of the existing security strategy and called for a fresh approach to address the province’s law and order challenges. He said the provincial government, police, administration and other relevant stakeholders should work together when developing a new policy.
Meanwhile, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said the Constitution provides for emergency measures and governor’s rule in specific circumstances. He urged the provincial authorities to take steps to prevent the situation from becoming more serious.
The statements come amid continuing differences between the provincial and federal authorities over counterterrorism efforts and security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The debate has also raised questions about how both sides will coordinate on future security measures.
