PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has delivered a blunt critique of the country’s regional diplomacy, questioning the practice of formulating foreign policy in “closed rooms” without parliamentary oversight or public consensus.
Addressing a charged gathering in Quetta, the Chief Minister highlighted a recurring official response to those who question state strategies regarding neighboring countries.
Focus on Afghanistan and Iran
CM Afridi specifically pointed to the lack of transparency in dealings with Afghanistan and Iran. He pointed out that critics of policies made in isolation often receive the response, “go to Afghanistan.”
He further argued that the state must involve the nation and the parliament in its stance on Iran. “When we criticize their closed-room policy… they tell us to go to Iran,” he remarked, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive approach to national security and external affairs.
Ownership of the State
The chief minister’s rhetoric shifted toward a fundamental assertion of constitutional rights. Challenging the perceived exclusivity of state power, he asked, “Is this Pakistan your father’s?”
The statement, met with loud cheers from the audience, served as a prelude to his declaration of citizen-led sovereignty. Reclaiming the national identity for the common man, Afridi stated that as a citizen, he is the “owner” of the country. He concluded by equating the ordinary Pakistani with the state itself, repeatedly asserting that “the common citizen is the state.”
