Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi declared a province-wide pen-down strike scheduled for May 6, protesting what he described as the federal government’s ongoing discrimination against KP. The PTI-supported CM highlighted grievances related to the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award and disparities in electricity and gas allocations affecting the province.
He clarified that emergency services would remain operational during the strike. Afridi also raised concerns about the treatment of PTI founder Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023 on multiple charges, including corruption and terrorism following his removal from office through a no-confidence vote in April 2022. The chief minister condemned the denial of access to personal physicians, family members, and legal counsel for Khan and his wife, labeling such restrictions as both inhumane and unlawful.
In a significant development, Afridi reiterated his accusations of the Centre’s biased policies against KP. Earlier, on January 10, he had openly criticized the federal government for political victimization of PTI and alleged theft of the public mandate. During a press conference in Hyderabad, he pointed out that KP had been deprived of its rightful share under the NFC Award, including funds meant for the merged tribal districts, resulting in a financial shortfall of nearly Rs300 billion for the province.
Addressing the situation of the tribal districts, Afridi noted that promises made to the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)—specifically an annual allocation of Rs100 billion for ten years—had not been honored, with only Rs130 billion disbursed over three years. These unresolved issues continue to fuel tensions between KP and the federal government.
