KP CM visits Kohat, meets families of martyred police personnel

Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi visited the city to meet the families of police officers and civilians who lost their lives in a terrorist attack on the Police Lines, expressing his condolences and tribute to the security forces and local people for their bravery and resilience during the ordeal.

The Chief Minister praised the police and counter-terrorism efforts for their commendable response to the attack, which lasted nearly 20 hours. He honored the martyrs, praying for their elevation to Jannah and offering support to their grieving families and the injured. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been battling terrorism for over two decades, losing more than 80,000 lives, but has managed to achieve peace since Imran Khan's tenure.

Despite India's friendly relations with Afghanistan, the Chief Minister highlighted how the incumbent Afghan government was welcomed in Pakistan, leading to disrupted trade, a closed border, economic stagnation, and a rising terrorism threat in the province. The deteriorating security situation, he argued, is a result of ineffective foreign policy, which has been implemented consistently for 22 years without success.

He called for a new approach to address the issue, claiming that his government's policy can bring peace to the region within 100 days. Afridi lamented the federal government's and state institutions' concentration on suppressing the political activities of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government rather than tackling terrorism.

He criticized the Punjab Chief Minister for claiming no threat from India while pointing fingers at three provinces of Pakistan. He accused the federal government and institutions of prioritizing the suppression of PTI's political activities over addressing the terrorism challenge. The Chief Minister urged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's youth and people to stand up for their province and nation, vowing to provide additional financial aid to the families of the martyrs not covered by the government's Shuhada Package.

He also announced the provision of modern medical equipment at the District Headquarters Hospital in Kohat, addressing the shortage of CT scan, MRI, and other essential medical devices.