K-P jirga rejects drone strikes, announces emergency assembly session
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. Photo: X
In a rare display of political unity, a joint jirga led by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Wednesday unanimously condemned ongoing drone strikes in tribal districts, deciding to convene a series of gatherings on the issue.
The jirga, which included lawmakers from both government and opposition benches representing tribal districts, was told that relentless drone attacks continued to result in repeated civilian casualties and damage to local property.
Participants agreed that the current situation was no longer tolerable, with innocent lives being lost to both terrorism and drone strikes. They agreed to hold a special provincial assembly session on Thursday, a cabinet meeting on Friday, and a grand tribal jirga at the Chief Minister’s House on Saturday.
وزیر اعلی خیبر پختونخوا کی سربراہی میں حکومت اور اپوزیشن کا مشترکہ جرگہ، ڈرون حملوں کی مشترکہ مخالفت#CMKP #tribalaffairs #peaceinkp pic.twitter.com/uWjqVFkL05
Addressing the gathering, CM Afridi declared that civilian deaths from both terrorism and drone attacks were unacceptable. “The people of tribal areas cannot be forced to pay the double price in the shape of their lives,” he said. “Neither terrorism nor civilian deaths in drone strikes can be justified.”
The jirga rejected the recurring pattern of civilian deaths being dismissed as mistakes. Members asserted that targeting innocent citizens under the pretext of errors must stop immediately.
“Despite modern technology, the continuous loss of innocent lives due to so-called mistakes is unacceptable under any circumstances,” Afridi added. “Apologies cannot compensate for lost lives. The damage is irreparable.”
Read: Jirga demands end to border hostilities
The chief minister announced the postponement of his Lahore visit in light of the situation. He warned that the province cannot afford further instability, stressing that “decision-makers must understand that the blood of our people is not cheap.”
It was revealed during the jirga that Rs26 billion has been allocated this year to the Counter-Terrorism Department and Special Branch to further strengthen the province’s capacity against terrorism.
The jirga concluded with a consensus to adopt a joint strategy transcending political affiliations, pledging unified action against both terrorism and extrajudicial drone strikes.