Rawalpindi: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Thursday accused the federal government of depriving the province of its rightful share under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, saying the center was treating KP like a “stepchild.”

Speaking to reporters at outside Adiala Jail, Afridi said the sacrifices of the province were being overlooked despite its heavy contribution in the fight against terrorism.

“Our soldiers and civilians who lost their lives were all our own people. Every life lost was a poor man’s child,” he said. “Decisions should not be made behind closed doors. How can someone who has never been to Tirah Valley decide its fate? How can policies be framed without consulting the Chief Minister of the province?”

Afridi criticized years of exclusionary decision-making, saying: “Since 2004, policies have been made in closed rooms. We sacrificed 80,000 lives, including over 6,000 security personnel. Yet, we are accused of going elsewhere. We stand firmly with Pakistan and only demand inclusion in national policy — that is our right.”

He also questioned why militants had been allowed to return to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, describing a cycle of flawed policies. “One person launches an operation, another clears the area, a third resettles terrorists, and a fourth starts operations again. KP is not a laboratory for repeated experiments,” he remarked.

Commenting on his meeting with Imran Khan, Afridi said they had come in line with court orders but were repeatedly denied access. “We wrote to the federal and Punjab governments and even approached the court, yet we are being denied our constitutional and legal right to meet our leader. Someone clearly believes they are above the law,” he added.

Afridi said the party leadership would now consult on the next steps forward.