Who is Fatima Khan? Young student questions KP CM Afridi

PESHAWAR: A rare public challenge to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s 13-year governance record took place on Tuesday when Fatima Khan, a student, questioned Chief Minister Sohail Afridi about the lack of visible development in the province despite long PTI rule. The incident occurred during the Young Leaders Convention organized by the Young Leaders Parliament at Nishtar Hall in Peshawar.

As the event ended, students requested a question-and-answer session to seek clear answers from the province’s chief executive. Fatima told the chief minister that development in her area was not visible and accused elected MPAs of failing to deliver. She also asked why no action had been taken against them.

Referring to PTI leaders’ claims that governments formed through “Form-47” were illegitimate, she questioned why such governments, the “so-called fake governments”, appeared to deliver development in Lahore, Karachi, and other cities, while KP lagged behind under PTI for over a decade.

She pressed the CM to explain tangible achievements in infrastructure, public services, and governance, arguing that development seemed limited to the homes and lifestyles of MNAs and MPAs rather than ordinary citizens.

CM Sohail Afridi rejected the criticism, suggesting that the student might have political motivations, possibly linked to opposition parties such as ANP, Jamaat-e-Islami, or PML-N. He said her repeated questions reflected partisan thinking. Fatima, however, continued demanding a factual account of the government’s work.

The exchange ended when an aide informed the chief minister of another engagement. Speaking to journalists afterward, Fatima Khan rejected claims of political affiliation, saying her questions were meant to raise public concerns and should not be dismissed as party politics.

This incident highlighted youth engagement and accountability, as a student openly challenged the provincial government on development and governance issues.