CM Afridi announces Islamabad March in protest to Tirah displacemnet

KP CM Sohail Afridi announced a province-wide jirga and a protest march towards Islamabad in response to the “forced displacement” of residents from the Tirah Valley.

He made the announcement while addressing a large jirga at Jamrud Sports Complex on Sunday. 

He, furthermore, stated that PM Shehbaz Sharif has invited him for a meeting on provincial rights. He said he intends to talk about the concerns of K-P residents and secure outstanding dues for the province.

Tensions have risen after hundreds of families had to leave their homes in Tirah amid fears of a military operation. The federal government, however, described the evacuation as routine seasonal migration. The provincial government and the displaced families rejected their claim, saying residents were compelled to leave and suffered in harsh winter conditions.

Furthermore, Afridi pledged that decisions made “behind closed doors” in the federal government would no longer be acceptable and a date for march to Islamabad will soon be finalized. 

Moreover, he announced a relief fund for the poor in KP and asked for contributions ahead of Ramadan. During the address he also condemned the terror attacks in Balochistan and expressed solidarity with families of the victims.