Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has strongly criticised the federal government over repeated increases in petroleum prices, describing the move as a major policy failure that is worsening the difficulties faced by ordinary citizens, it was reported on Friday.
Addressing the convocation ceremony at Khyber Girls Medical College in Peshawar, CM Afridi said the country’s rulers appeared unconcerned about public hardship as petrol and diesel prices had been increased several times within a single month.
He claimed that poor governance and failed policies at the centre had pushed nearly 45 per cent of the population below the poverty line.
The chief minister accused the federal leadership of lacking a clear economic and political direction, alleging that its main focus remained targeting former prime minister Imran Khan and weakening the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.
The CM alleged that the current leadership had no clear economic or political direction and was instead focused on targeting Imran Khan and weakening the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.
During his address, the chief minister congratulated graduating students and their parents, urging the young doctors to become skilled professionals and serve society responsibly.
He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa urgently needed more female doctors and assured students that the provincial government would stand by them in protecting their rights.
Afridi also announced that the provincial government was working to promote employment opportunities and that 2,400 doctors were currently being recruited on merit, with more appointments expected in the future.
Turning to the security situation, the chief minister said his party had repeatedly warned against the decision taken in 2022 to resettle militants, arguing that the move would damage peace and stability in the province.
He claimed those warnings had been ignored and said ordinary people were now suffering the consequences. According to him, civilians were losing their lives in collateral damage incidents, and communities were facing constant grief and insecurity.
Referring to the recent killing of Maulana Muhammad Idris, whom he described as a peaceful religious figure, the chief minister said even respected scholars were no longer safe from violence.
The CM warned that unless people united and raised their voices against such policies, the cycle of violence and funerals would continue.
Afridi also defended the economic record of the government led by Imran Khan between 2018 and 2022, claiming that Pakistan had experienced peace, prosperity and stronger economic growth during that period.
He alleged that a “regime change” had removed a genuinely democratic government and said conditions in the country had steadily worsened since then.
Pakistan’s GDP growth rate had stood at 6.1 per cent during Mr Khan’s tenure but had now declined to 3 per cent, he said, adding that inflation continued to rise while increasing numbers of young people were seeking opportunities abroad.
