PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has sent a request to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi seeking permission to meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan.
According to reports, the chief minister has requested that directions be issued to the relevant authorities to allow this meeting.
In this regard, Sohail Afridi, through Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shah Faisal Utmanzai, has filed an application in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
In the application, he stated that he is the elected chief minister and represents a population of 45 million people. He added that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa voted for the PTI in the 2024 general elections, through which the party secured 92 seats.
The chief minister said the PTI founding chairman is currently imprisoned in Adiala Jail, and a meeting with him is essential, especially given the current law and order and economic challenges facing the province.
The chief minister said consultation with the party founder is necessary for the formation of the provincial cabinet, which can only be finalized after the meeting.
According to the letter, the superintendent of Adiala Jail, the Punjab home secretary, and the federal government were approached a day earlier with a formal request and an official letter seeking arrangements for the meeting. However, permission to visit the jail was not granted.
The chief minister appealed to the Pakistan chief justice to direct the authorities concerned to allow the meeting with the PTI founder so that guidance could be sought for the cabinet formation and the province’s pressing issues, including the shortage of wheat.
Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has moved Islamabad High Court (IHC) on the matter of meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan in Adiala jail. Through the petition filed by KP CM, Interior Secretary, Punjab Home Secretary, IG police and Superintendent Adiala jail have been made respondents.
The petitioner has taken plea that consultation with PTI founder is must for formation of cabinet in KP and guidance on provincial governance. It was further said in the petition that meeting with PTI founder was not allowed a day before. It is requested to the court to issue immediate orders for meeting so that KP CM Sohail Afridi could hold meeting with Imran Khan. — Online
