Once Again, Meeting Denied – KP CM Afridi Blocked from Seeing Imran Khan
Once Again, Meeting Denied
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s attempt to meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan at Adiala Jail was blocked yet again, despite clear directives from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) permitting such meetings.
Afridi reached the Central Jail in Rawalpindi shortly after the IHC reaffirmed its March 24 decision, directing the jail superintendent to allow PTI leaders to meet their party founder on Tuesdays and Thursdays under prescribed standard operating procedures (SOPs). However, authorities refused entry, citing procedural restrictions.
Court Orders Ignored
The IHC’s three-member bench, led by Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar, had earlier allowed PTI leaders to meet Imran Khan to discuss policy matters and the formation of the KP cabinet. The bench included Justices Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Azam Khan. Despite these orders, Afridi’s convoy was stopped by police at the Dahgal checkpoint near Adiala Jail.
Frustrated by the denial, the KP chief minister staged a brief sit-in outside the prison, demanding that the IHC’s directives be implemented. Speaking to journalists, Afridi said he would continue to wait for his leader’s guidance, emphasizing that the people of KP had voted for Imran Khan’s ideology and governance vision.
Political Context
Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 following his conviction in the Toshakhana case-I — one of several cases filed against him since his ouster in April 2022. He faces multiple charges, ranging from alleged corruption to terr0r-related offenses.
The IHC had also made it clear that while meetings could proceed, no participant would be allowed to address the media afterward. Afridi’s attempt reflects ongoing tensions between the PTI-led KP government and federal institutions, as the province’s leadership continues to seek political consultation from the party’s incarcerated founder.
