KP CM Sohail Afridi Slams Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz’s ‘No Threat from India’ Remark
KARACHI – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has launched a scathing attack on Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz over her recent statement regarding terrorism and India, questioning why she is being treated as a “favorite” while opposition leaders face strict action for similar remarks .
Addressing a ceremony at the Karachi Bar Association, Afridi said Maryam Nawaz’s statement is completely contrary to Pakistan’s official state policy, which has consistently maintained that India is involved in fomenting terrorism in the country .
“If any PTI leader had given such a statement, an FIR would have been registered against them by now,” Afridi said, contrasting the treatment meted out to political dynasties versus ordinary party workers .
The KP Chief Minister further questioned: “If we speak about Afghanistan or Iran, the state immediately says ‘go to Afghanistan or Iran.’ So after this statement, should Punjab CM also be sent to India? She already has friendships and personal businesses there, but no one will say this because they are the favorites.”
Afridi took aim at both the Sharif and Zardari families, accusing the political system of applying different rules for them. “These two families have always been favorites,” he said. “Sometimes the father, sometimes the son, and sometimes the niece gets power. On the other hand, sometimes the grandfather, sometimes the daughter, and sometimes the grandson are given governments in succession.”
“پنجاب کی جعلی وزیراعلی بیان دیتی ہے کہ اسے انڈیا سے خطرہ نہیں پاکستان کے تین صوبوں سے خطرہ ہے، ایسا بیان ہم نے دیا ہوتا تو ایف آئی آر ہو جاتی۔
ریاست پاکستان کا بیانیہ ہے کہ پاکستان میں انڈیا دہشتگردی کروا رہا ہے اور ان کی مسلط کردہ جعلی وزیراعلی کہتی کہ انڈیا سے کوئی خطرہ نہیں… pic.twitter.com/PiYo07Nzfk
— PTI (@PTIofficial) September 7, 2026
He contrasted this dynastic politics with his own rise, stating: “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s example is before everyone. I am not a relative of Imran Khan but a common, sensible worker who has been given the important position of Chief Minister. Only Imran Khan can have the stature to elevate a common worker to such a high post.”
This comes amid growing controversy over Maryam Nawaz’s remarks, which she made while inaugurating an AI Hub in Lahore. The Punjab government has since attempted to clarify the statement, with Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari saying the comments were “taken out of context” and that Nawaz was referring to threats from “terrorists entering Punjab from other provinces” rather than from a neighboring country .
However, the statement has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters. Senior journalist Hamid Mir noted that Indian elements are now leveraging Maryam Nawaz’s words to justify their own narratives, with a former Indian judge citing her statement to argue that Indians should not be feared in Pakistan .
Balochistan-based groups have also condemned the remarks, demanding an end to Pakistan’s military presence in the province and questioning Pakistan’s rationale for maintaining nuclear weapons against India .
Pakistan’s official stance, reiterated at international forums including the United Nations, maintains that India is engaged in “state-sponsored terrorism” against Pakistan, supporting terrorist proxies including the TTP, BLA, and Majeed Brigade .
