Peshawar — November 23, 2025: A political controversy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has intensified following fresh allegations of large-scale cannabis cultivation in the Tirah Valley, triggered by a new video message from a local resident.
The individual, said to be from Tirah’s Shalobar area, claims the cannabis crop shown in the footage belongs to Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. The assertion directly contradicts Provincial Minister Shafiullah Jan, who recently stated in a televised interview that no such crop existed on the chief minister’s land. The resident described the footage as “undeniable evidence” of a mature plantation and accused the minister of misleading the public.
The dispute stems from earlier appeals urging the KP chief minister to launch decisive action against what critics describe as a widening drug-smuggling network affecting the province and beyond. They argue that dismantling the trade is essential to safeguarding youth, disrupting cross-border narcotics flows, and preventing the proceeds from being used to finance anti-state operations, including the purchase of explosives for militant groups.
Responding to the renewed allegations, Minister Shafiullah Jan has reiterated that no illegal cultivation is taking place and dismissed reports of 3,500 acres of cannabis fields as “baseless and politically driven.”
As of now, the provincial government has not announced any formal inquiry into the matter, leaving political tensions and public speculation unresolved.
