KP CM Afridi to Visit South Waziristan Soon, as PTI MNA Wazir Raises Security, Development Issues

Hamid Khan Wazir

PESHAWAR: In a major development aimed at addressing the long-standing grievances of the tribal districts, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Muhammad Sohail Afridi would soon undertake an official visit to the long-neglected region South Waziristan to assess ground realities and interact directly with local residents.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from NA-42 Zubair Khan Wazir made the announcement on his post on his official Facebook page following his detailed meeting with the Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.

During the meeting, MNA Zubair Khan Wazir presented a comprehensive overview of issues confronting the people of Waziristan, including law and order concerns, lack of employment opportunities for youth, inadequate health and education facilities, and delays in the completion of key infrastructure projects, particularly roads and communication networks.

PTI MNA said that Chief Minister Afridi assured that the provincial government remained fully committed to addressing the problems faced by the people of Waziristan. He reiterated that the KP government would continue to pursue serious measures aimed at ensuring peace, completing ongoing development schemes and improving the quality of life of residents across the merged districts.

Zubair Khan Wazir said the visit would provide the chief minister an opportunity to witness the ground realities firsthand, engage with local elders and residents, and assess the pace of key public welfare and development projects aimed at improving the lives of the people of South Waziristan.

He emphasized that the resilient people of Waziristan have made immense sacrifices for national peace and deserve immediate state relief through structural development.

The lawmaker briefed Chief Minister Afridi on a wide array of deep-rooted local issues, painting a stark picture of the challenges confronting the merged tribal districts (NMDs).

The Center's Denial of Merged Area Funds

The federal government’s refusal to release the full share of funds promised during the FATA-KP merger has crippled the provincial government's capacity to execute large-scale development programs in the region.

At the conclusion of the meeting, MNA Zubair Khan Wazir formally invited the Chief Minister to visit South Waziristan so that he could personally observe the prevailing conditions and engage directly with the local population. Chief Minister Sohail Afridi warmly accepted the invitation and assured that he would undertake the visit in the near future.

Expressing gratitude to the Chief Minister, Zubair Khan Wazir voiced optimism that the meeting would yield positive outcomes and contribute to placing Waziristan on a faster path towards sustainable peace, economic development and long-term prosperity.