KP CM Sohail Afridi denied meeting with Imran Khan despite court order

RAWALPINDI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Thursday left Adiala jail for Peshawar after he was barred from meeting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan despite a court order.

Earlier, Sohail staged a sit-in outside Adiala jail after denied a meeting with Imran Khan.

Sohail Afridi, along with provincial president Junaid Akbar, Senator Mishal Yousafzai, former provincial assembly speaker Mushtaq Ghani and other party leaders, attempted to meet Imran Khan, they were stopped at the Dahgal checkpoint near the jail.

Earlier, the Islamabad High Court had directed the Adiala jail superintendent to comply with its March 24 order restoring Imran Khan’s twice-a-week meeting schedule. The court had also instructed prison authorities to arrange meetings according to the list provided by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja.

However, despite the court order, the KP chief minister and accompanying PTI leaders were not allowed to enter the jail, prompting them to stage a protest outside the jail.

Earlier talking to the media, PTI’s Junaid Akbar said that if they were not allowed to meet, he would advise the party to stop trusting the courts. “If courts cannot deliver justice, they should be converted into universities — at least that would serve some purpose,” he said.

He said that he would move a resolution in the provincial assembly declaring that the judiciary had failed to provide justice. “If court orders are not being implemented, we must rethink our approach,” Akbar said, adding that while they came in compliance with a judicial order, police claimed they had received no instructions.

He further said, “If the federal government cooperates with us, we will reciprocate. But if the state prevents a provincial chief minister from meeting his leader, how can we cooperate?”

Later, speaking to reporters at the checkpoint, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa voted for the PTI because of Imran Khan’s ideology and policies. “It is my right to represent the public mandate before my leader and seek his guidance,” he said.

Afridi said that he wanted to meet Imran Khan to seek advice, as he always had in the past. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to meet our leader. Even if I am denied access today, I will continue to follow his instructions.”

He further said his leader always advocated dialogue and peaceful engagement.

“No country is a permanent friend or enemy; every state acts in its own interest. We must maintain good relations with our neighbours,” he added.

Talking about regional ties, Afridi said Afghanistan is the gateway to Central Asia, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has had strong trade links with it for 78 years.

“The tribal people know how to protect their land and borders. Conditions worsened only after the military operations post-2001,” he remarked.

He stressed that KP wants fraternal relations with its neighbour. “No one should be allowed to make decisions about the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa behind closed doors. Only a madman would want terrorism in his province,” he said.

Afridi said that Imran Khan had outlined a clear policy to eradicate terrorism. “If military operations alone could end terrorism, it would have ended long ago,” he added.

When asked about returning bulletproof vehicles, Afridi said, “Those vehicles were expired and second-hand. My police and martyrs don’t deserve scrap.”

He questioned, “Where did those vehicles go? They were sent to Balochistan — the same province they said was under control of a mere SHO. If they were second-hand, why give them to us? Either use them yourselves or give us our rightful share.”

Afridi said his government had already invested heavily in police infrastructure and announced a Rs7 billion grant for the force.

“We’re providing new bulletproof vehicles — some have already arrived, others are on the way. The issue is that the federal authorities are indifferent and out of touch,” he claimed.

He demanded that a meeting of the National Finance Commission (NFC) be convened immediately and that KP’s Rs350 billion share be released.

“Our outstanding dues in NFC exceed Rs2,200 billion. If the federal government were serious about ending terrorism, they’d have paid us. This is sheer negligence,” he said.

Afridi further remarked that high court judges should ensure implementation of their orders. “If they are powerless, then the courts might as well be locked up,” he said.

He also said the prime minister had not convened any meeting to discuss security issues, nor had he been invited to one.

Reacting to State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry’s comments, Afridi said, “If the federal government doesn’t know where the Rs600 billion went, they should go to court. If they claim to have given us Rs 600 billion, they should publish the record — we’ll publish ours too.”

He added, “The losses we’ve suffered in the war against terrorism are immense. The federal government has treated us like a stepchild, and the people of KP are facing injustice because of it.”