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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate Suhail Afridi was elected as the new Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate Suhail Afridi was on Monday elected as the new Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati continued voting despite the opposition’s walkout. Afridi got 90 votes out of 145, while rival candidates from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) (JUI-F), Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) did not get a single vote. Grateful to party founder Imran Khan, Afridi said he chose a man who was an ordinary worker, from a middle-class family and had no family ties to politics. Afridi declared that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa belongs only to Imran Khan. He further said that if their leaders are against it then no military operation can be conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Threat of nationwide shutdown in support of Imran
He said that I have neither money nor position to lose. If Imran Khan is transferred anywhere else without the consent of his family, we will lock down the entire country. He urged the federal government to involve the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and tribal communities in decisions related to Afghanistan and said if you take them into confidence, I assure you that the response will be positive. Afridi warned against ignoring the province’s warnings on terrorism. He stressed that military operations are not the solution. You have launched many operations in the past, yet terrorism has re-emerged. Problems cannot be solved by decisions taken behind closed doors for personal interests. He called for collective decision making.
Emphasis on dialogue and inclusion
Said that if you say that there is terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, then you have to take the provincial government, elected representatives, local governments and tribal people into confidence. Decisions taken with his advice will bring peace. Afridi emphasized on dialogue and inclusion rather than unilateral policies. Thanking PTI founder Imran Khan, Afridi said that we do not just do politics, we love our leader. Imran Khan gave respect and awareness to the tribal people. Said that I assure you, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa belongs only to Imran Khan and his words will be obeyed here. On which the ruling party applauded. He called Imran Khan not only a national leader but also a globally popular person who understands the grievances of the tribal communities.
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