Journalists Welcome Election of First Chief Minister from Tribal Districts — Call for Special Grants and Press Freedom in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Independent Report

Khyber, October 15, 2025:
The President of the District Press Club Khyber, Aman Ali Shinwari, has congratulated the newly elected Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi, describing his election as a historic and proud moment for the people of the tribal districts.

He said the journalist community warmly welcomes this decision and hopes that the new Chief Minister will introduce revolutionary reforms for both the welfare of the people and the resolution of journalists’ longstanding issues.

Aman Ali Shinwari highlighted that tribal journalists continue to perform their duties under extremely difficult conditions, yet no previous government has addressed their problems.
He condemned the restrictions imposed under the PECA Act, calling them an assault on press freedom, and urged the government to abolish PECA, release special grants for tribal journalists, and restore the lapsed funds for the Khyber Press Club.

He recalled that during Imran Khan’s tenure, Rs 34 million had been approved for the construction of the District Press Club Khyber, but the funds lapsed due to non-allocation for land purchase.
He demanded the government not only reissue but double the amount to ensure the early completion of the Press Club building.

Shinwari added that the Press Club is not merely a journalists’ concern but a voice of the entire district, representing the issues of the voiceless at national and international levels.
He expressed confidence that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi will take practical measures to eliminate the deprivations of the tribal districts