Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting on the escalating Afghan aggression and the repatriation of Afghan nationals, attended by all provincial chief ministers except Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who refused to participate in the session.
The meeting, convened to deliberate Pakistan’s response to increasing cross-border hostilities and to review the ongoing process of repatriating illegal Afghan residents, was joined by senior military officials, the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, and members of the federal cabinet.
According to official sources, the KP chief minister declined to attend the meeting despite being present in Islamabad. His refusal, sources added, was viewed as a serious breach of national coordination at a time when Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains the frontline province directly impacted by Afghan-linked security and refugee challenges.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated that Pakistan would not tolerate any form of Afghan aggression and directed full implementation of the national plan for the secure and dignified repatriation of Afghan nationals. He underscored the need for complete unity among all tiers of government to safeguard national interests and regional stability.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has also summoned another high-level meeting to assess flood damages, review rehabilitation measures, and discuss the national wheat policy.
Officials noted that the KP government’s refusal to engage in national deliberations of such critical importance sends a troubling signal amid rising border tensions and the federal government’s push for a cohesive national strategy.
