Thaw worth testing

The meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi is welcome not merely for its optics but for what it attempts to arrest — a dangerous mix of rising terrorism in K-P and an overheated political climate that has paralysed governance. After weeks of brinkmanship and hardening rhetoric, the sight of both sides choosing conversation over confrontation matters.

K-P today sits at the sharp end of Pakistan's security crisis. Attacks have intensified and public patience is thinning. In such circumstances, a frozen relationship between the Centre and a frontline province was reckless. That alone makes Monday's meeting necessary and timely. Equally important is the signal it sends politically. Afridi's decision to sit across the table — even as his party remains locked in open hostility with the federal government — reflects a rare recognition that governance cannot be indefinitely held hostage to political grievance. The decision to keep Imran Khan-related matters out of the discussion may upset parts of PTI's support base, but it also prioritises K-P's fiscal and security crises demanding attention now. Regarding contention over the release of NFC-related funds, even an assurance to consider resolving outstanding dues can serve as a confidence-building measure. A transparent, time-bound framework for fund utilisation and release would go some distance in restoring faith between Islamabad and Peshawar.

This meeting carries the potential to become a first crack in a political wall that has remained unyielding for months. Of course, no one should confuse this with reconciliation. The gulf between the opposition and the government remains wide, and mistrust runs deep. The danger now is regression. If either side reverts to political point-scoring, this opening will close as quickly as it appeared. But if the channel remains open, this meeting could be remembered as the moment when politicians chose engagement over escalation.