Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi has said that, over the past three to four days, individuals in plain clothes have been targeting the party’s workers, organisational office-bearers and elected representatives. Addressing a meeting of the provincial cabinet, the Chief Minister said that Minister for Communications and Works Shakeel Khan had been subjected to an attempted assassination and an attempt had also been made to abduct him, but the perpetrators failed in their attempt. He said that, a day earlier, individuals in plain clothes had also reached the residence of Minister for Irrigation Riaz Khan. “Similar incidents are being reported from Dera Ismail Khan and other districts, where our workers and elected representatives are being subjected to the same treatment,” the Chief Minister said. He added that MNA Fazal Khan had been abducted in Mardan, while unidentified individuals had also raided the residence of Provincial Minister Fakhar Jahan. “If even members of the provincial cabinet are not safe from such elements, what does this mean for the rest of Pakistan?” the Chief Minister asked. He said that those involved were afraid of the power of the people and that no person acting with reason would resort to such measures. “Such treatment of members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet is unacceptable,” he said. Referring to recent statements attributed to Rana Sanaullah, the Chief Minister said that statements had been made describing the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as terrorists. He also expressed concern over statement by Maryam Safdar that she faces no threat from India but from three smaller provinces of Pakistan.The Chief Minister said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is being cut off from the rest of the country and that all routes to and from the province are being closed. “The rest of Pakistan will remain open, but no one will be able to enter or leave Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said. “What should be made of an attempt to isolate Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from the rest of Pakistan and close all routes to the province? Is there a conspiracy underway? Is there an attempt to repeat a tragedy like that of East Pakistan?” the Chief Minister asked. He said that whoever was behind any such effort should receive a clear message: “Pakistan is ours.” He added that those seeking to divide Pakistan or separate Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from the country would face a clear response. “We were Pakistanis, we are Pakistanis and, God willing, we will remain Pakistanis,” he said. The Chief Minister further said that individuals in plain clothes were intimidating and threatening members of the bureaucracy, police, deputy commissioners and district police officers. Addressing the officials directly, he said: “You must not be afraid. If the provincial government is not asking you to do anything unlawful, do not comply with unlawful orders issued by any institution or department.” The Chief Minister said that Pakistan belonged to all its citizens and that peaceful protest was a constitutional and legal right. “This is not anyone’s personal Pakistan; this is the Pakistan of all of us,” he said. He said that the provincial government’s concerns are not being heard and that there remains no meaningful opportunity for its position to be heard. “In such circumstances, the Constitution allows peaceful protest, and we will exercise this right. As long as the Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protest, we will continue our peaceful struggle,” he said. Addressing the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan, the Chief Minister said: “Do not panic and do not be afraid. The more oppressive a person becomes, the greater their fear.” He called on the people to stand up for their rights and real freedom and to continue their peaceful struggle. “God willing, this period of oppression will come to an end very soon,” he said.
Minister for Information & Public Relations, Science, Technology and Information Technology, Shafi Jan, later briefed the media on important decisions taken by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cabinet, including the approval of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Act 2026, describing it as a landmark step towards strengthening police accountability, professional efficiency and public service delivery. Shafi Jan said that the proposed legislation would introduce a comprehensive institutional framework aimed at making the police more accountable to the public while strengthening investigation, improving career progression and establishing clearer distinctions between policy-making and operational functions. He said that, upon enactment by the Provincial Assembly, the new law would strengthen the investigation mechanism through the introduction of Regional Investigation Officers (RIOs) in the province. “The proposed Police Act is designed to strengthen the investigation system and enhance professional capacity within the police by introducing a dedicated regional investigation structure,” he said. The Minister said the legislation would also introduce greater institutional accountability in police postings and transfers, particularly with regard to the appointment and transfer of Regional Police Officers (RPOs) and District Police Officers (DPOs) under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rules of Business, 1985. Highlighting the provisions relating to career development, Shafi Jan said the proposed Act would address long-standing hurdles in the promotion of police officers by rationalizing the promotional, fast-track promotion and direct recruitment quotas. “The legislation seeks to remove impediments to the long-awaited promotion of officers and provide a more structured mechanism for career progression by increasing promotion quota for the police force,” he said. The Minister further explained that the proposed law would introduce a clear separation between the policy and operational streams of policing through the establishment of two distinct institutional forums—the Police Policy Board, to be headed by the Chief Minister, and the Police Operations Board, to be headed by the Provincial Police Officer (PPO). According to Shafi Jan, the proposed legislation would also introduce a performance-based accountability mechanism for the PPO. He said that the Act would provide the provincial government with the authority to seek the repatriation of the PPO in case of unsatisfactory performance, thereby strengthening institutional oversight and ensuring greater responsibility at the highest level of police command. He added that the PPO would also be required to prepare and present an annual policing plan before the Police Policy Board for consideration and approval. “The annual policing plan will provide a structured framework for policing priorities, performance and institutional objectives, subject to approval by the Police Policy Board,” he said. He said the Act would introduce a clear and comprehensive mechanism for the functioning of Dispute Resolution Councils (DRCs) across the province, addressing the existing gap in the legal framework. To ensure greater transparency, accountability and uniformity, all existing DRCs would be dissolved and reconstituted afresh in accordance with the provisions of the new law.
According to him, the Cabinet also approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Stamp (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the revised cost estimate for the intake structure and tunnel (up to daylight) under the Peshawar Water Supply Scheme, and the release of the balance allocation along with a supplementary grant for land acquisition in respect of the ADP scheme for the construction of sports complexes in District Chitral. Cabinet members, the Chief Secretary, administrative secretaries, and the Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police attended the Cabinet meeting, with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi in the chair.
