Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has said that a peace jirga will be held in Peshawar on November 12, expressing hope that it would serve as a means to restore lasting peace in the province.

Speaking to reporters during his surprise visit to the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) station in Peshawar on Sunday, Afridi said that since assuming office, a campaign of character assassination had been launched against him.

The chief minister, who bought a ticket and travelled from the University of Peshawar station to Karkhano Market alongside regular commuters, was accompanied by the chief secretary and elected members of the provincial assembly.

Citizens warmly welcomed the chief minister’s presence among them and took selfies with him.

Commenting on national issues, Afridi said the 27th Constitutional Amendment had trampled the law, questioning its intent.

“Since Pakistan’s creation, no military dictator has ever been punished. If any were sentenced, it was never implemented,” he said.

“I believe the 27th Amendment was brought for reasons other than what is being stated.”

The chief minister stressed that decisions should not be made behind closed doors, stressing transparency in political and administrative matters.

The chief minister reiterated his firm opposition to any new military operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying such actions violated human rights.

“My stance has always been clear — there will be no military operation,” he said.

“During previous operations, we lost 80,000 people, including members of the security forces.”

Afridi added that the upcoming peace jirga would aim to bridge the gulf and promote dialogue as the only viable path to stability.

Separately, he announced that 25 more BRT buses would soon be added to Peshawar’s fleet to meet growing commuter demand.