PESHAWAR
\n\u201cFirst a Pakistani, then a Pakhtun and a tribal,\u201d declared Muhammad Sohail Afridi in his maiden address to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly after being elected Chief Minister on Monday.
\nHe expressed gratitude to the party leadership for elevating a grassroots worker to the province\u2019s highest office.
\nAfridi called for a review of Pakistan\u2019s Afghan policy and stressed the need to involve local elders in efforts to combat terrorism.
\nAddressing the Assembly after his election as Leader of the House, Afridi paid tribute to PTI founder Imran Khan for nominating him and described his rise as that of \u201ca common worker\u201d with no political family backing.
\n\u201cFirst a Pakistani, then a Pakhtun and a tribal,\u201d he said, expressing gratitude for the party\u2019s trust.
\nAfridi vowed to pursue steps for the release of Imran Khan and declared himself a proponent of protest politics.
\n\u201cI have nothing to lose, no cars, money or bungalows,\u201d he said, adding that he would not be swayed by the trappings of office. \u201cNo one should think I will abandon the party\u2019s ideology for salutes, crowns or comforts.\u201d
\nOn security and regional policy, Afridi stressed involving local stakeholders in areas affected by militancy.
\n\u201cWhere there is terrorism, the solution is to take the elders, local representatives and parliamentarians into confidence,\u201d he said. \u201cAsk the people and their representatives how to end terrorism, only then will this problem be solved.\u201d
\nHe also warned against sidelining party leadership: \u201cIf the founder of PTI is moved here and there without consulting his family and party, the entire country will be paralyzed,\u201d he said, stressing his commitment to party unity and consultation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PESHAWAR \u201cFirst a Pakistani, then a Pakhtun and a tribal,\u201d declared Muhammad Sohail Afridi in his maiden address to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly after being elected Chief Minister on Monday. He expressed gratitude to the party leadership for elevating a grassroots worker to the province\u2019s highest office. Afridi called for a review of Pakistan\u2019s Afghan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-508402","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n