By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: Former member of the national assembly Haji Shah Jee Gul Afridi has said that PTI-nominated Chief Minister Sohail Afridi faces his toughest test in ensuring that the merged tribal districts receive their rightful share in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award and in eliminating terrorism from the region.
In his exclusive interview, Shah Jee Gul Afridi warned that without decisive steps on these critical fronts, the long-standing sense of deprivation among the tribal people would continue.
Shah Jee Gul Afridi described the Fata merger as the result of decades of struggle and sacrifices by the tribal population, which has now made it possible for a chief minister to emerge from Khyber district. He said this could be a historic moment that Sohail Afridi must seize to write a new chapter of progress and prosperity for the tribal people.
Recalling previous provincial governments, Afridi noted that former chief ministers launched major development projects in their constituencies that continue to benefit residents. He cited Swat, Mardan, Nowshera and Abbottabad as examples where sustained initiatives improved living standards and brought lasting development.
Afridi said as chief minister, Sohail Afridi bears a dual responsibility to initiate transformative projects in education, health and employment across all merged districts, especially in his home district of Khyber. He added that if the chief minister succeeds in these vital sectors, his name would be remembered long after his tenure ends.
Shah Jee Gul emphasized that development alone was not enough to serve the countrymen, but peace must be the foremost priority.
“The tribal people have endured the worst consequences of terrorism and instability. Without peace, the dream of development will remain unfulfilled,” Gul warned.
Shah Jee Gul Afridi demanded that a permanent and guaranteed share for the merged districts in the NFC award be secured. He said denying their right would deepen deprivation and push the region further into backwardness, urging Sohail Afridi to take up the issue firmly with the federal government to ensure justice for his people.
