Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, while addressing a public gathering in the Pashto language, declared drugs, hashish and smuggling to be the province’s thousands-of-years-old culture.
During a public gathering, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi openly delivered a speech in Pashto in an extremely harsh and unusual tone.
He directly challenged law-enforcement agencies, saying: “Whoever wants to stop it should try to stop it; hashish will be sold, drugs will continue, and smuggling will continue.”
He further said that Pakistan is only 50 years old and that they cannot destroy their thousands-of-years-old culture by following someone’s false ideology.
During his speech, he used harsh words for state institutions, saying: “We will tell these soldiers that you have confronted Imran Khan’s lions.”
Concern over contradictory narrative and misleading the public
Following the Chief Minister’s statement, strong reactions have emerged from political and social circles.
On one hand, the government claims at the official level that it is working to eliminate drugs and uphold the rule of law, while on the other hand, the delivery of such a misleading message by the highest administrative head of a province is an extremely concerning and irresponsible act.
When a person holding such a high office declares a forbidden and unlawful act to be lawful, it means that an entire generation is being pushed toward ruin and destruction.
Certainly, public concern is also being expressed over associating the peaceful history of the Pashtuns with drugs and illegal activities.
Provincial leadership and ideological tensions
In the political history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, tensions between provincial governments and central institutions have been witnessed at different times.
However, there has been no previous example of an elected Chief Minister openly providing protection to or declaring serious crimes such as lawbreaking, drugs and smuggling to be part of the culture.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is already facing serious challenges such as a poor law-and-order situation, border issues and the spread of drugs for decades, and such statements can further complicate the situation.
Administrative and political effects
When a person holding a constitutional office openly defends illegal activities, it deals a severe blow to efforts for national security, law and order, and the rule of law.
When the administrative head of a province gives the impression of protecting the drug trade and smuggling, it not only encourages criminal elements but also negatively affects the morale of security institutions and the police.
The use of such words against the state and its armed forces fuels political instability and confrontation with institutions, which could ultimately cause serious harm to the people of the province and the interests of national security.