KP CM, Fazl united by grievances against Centre

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman have formed a rare political alliance to challenge the federal government's fiscal and administrative policies. During a joint press conference, the leaders accused Islamabad of neglecting the province, specifically citing an inequitable distribution of National Finance Commission funds and the exclusion of former tribal districts from their entitled resources. Both figures criticized the federal government for restricting wheat supplies and failing to provide the province with its fair share of domestically produced gas. Furthermore, the Maulana raised alarms regarding the deteriorating security landscape in southern districts, where he claims state authority has largely eroded. In response to these challenges, the leaders pledged to pursue greater provincial autonomy and coordinate on legislative efforts, including the regulation of religious seminaries.

This political alignment between the provincial leadership and a major opposition party signals a significant escalation in the ongoing struggle for fiscal autonomy and resource rights between Pakistan's provinces and the federal center.