Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was once again denied permission to meet the incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan at Adiala Jail, intensifying rifts within the party’s leadership as the formation of the provincial cabinet remains stalled.
Accompanied by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Afridi arrived at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on Tuesday. However, he was turned back without being granted access to the former prime minister. In contrast, Khan’s sister Uzma Khan was permitted to meet him.
Speaking to reporters outside the facility, Afridi lamented that he was being “denied consultation” with the person who had “nominated and appointed” him as chief minister. He questioned why such a meeting was being obstructed if the government truly believed in constitutional governance.
The KP chief minister accused the federal authorities of “governing through force rather than law,” warning that this deliberate obstruction could amount to contempt of court since the Islamabad High Court had already directed the jail administration to allow the meeting.
Afridi also took a swipe at Punjab’s leadership, claiming that instead of sending congratulatory messages, the province had “cut off wheat supply” to KP, causing a looming flour crisis. “Even the corps commander congratulated me, but Punjab has chosen hostility,” he remarked.
The chief minister maintained that he intended to consult Khan on “policy guidelines” and the structure of his upcoming cabinet. However, he refrained from commenting on reports of a major corruption scandal in the province, saying he would address it once the cabinet was finalized.
This marks the second time since his election on October 13 that Afridi has been blocked from meeting Khan. His earlier attempt on October 23 ended in a short sit-in outside Adiala Jail after prison authorities ignored the IHC’s directives.
Afridi’s rise to power — replacing the confrontational Ali Amin Gandapur — was seen as an internal attempt to stabilize PTI’s provincial administration amid deepening political and legal turmoil. Yet, with his leader behind bars and cabinet formation delayed, the chief minister now faces mounting pressure both within and outside the party.
Imran Khan, imprisoned since August 2023 following his conviction in the Toshakhana case, continues to face a range of charges including corruption and terrorism. His prolonged detention and the repeated denial of meetings with key PTI figures highlight the growing isolation of the party’s founder as Pakistan’s political landscape continues to shift.
