Negotiations between representatives of KP CM, Adiala Jail administration underway
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi continued his sit-in outside Adiala Jail late Thursday night after authorities once again denied him permission to meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan. Negotiations between representatives of the KP CM and the Adiala Jail administration were underway, according to sources.
The talks are being held in a private building near the Faqirabad (factory) checkpoint, sources said. Officials participating in the discussions include Assistant Superintendent of Adiala Jail, Chief Minister’s Security Chief, Police representatives and KP MPA Meena Khan.
According to sources, the KP delegation has demanded a written explanation as to why the CM and other party leaders have not been allowed to meet the PTI founder. They have also sought insurance policies regarding the founder’s health. The delegation further pressed for immediate permission for the CM and accompanying party leaders to hold the requested meeting, sources added.
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Earlier, Afridi had arrived at the Adiala jail and engaged in a heated exchange with police officers, reminding them that he had also been stopped during his previous visit. “I asked then and I ask now: Give me in writing why court orders are not being followed. Someone is trying to wreak havoc here,” he said. “This is the eighth time I am coming here with respect,” he added, noting that repeated trips from Peshawar to Rawalpindi “were not easy” when meetings did not materialize.
After several attempts, the prison authorities refused to allow the meeting, prompting the Prime Minister to initiate a roadside sit-in. Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai later joined him in solidarity.
Speaking to reporters at the Faqirabad checkpoint, Afridi expressed concern over reports on social media regarding the PTI founder’s health. “If these concerns are not addressed through a meeting, the entire nation will be on the streets,” he warned. “We’re sitting right here. If the meeting doesn’t happen, we’ll decide our next step.” Afridi reiterated his demand for clarity. “We want to meet him and ask about his well-being,” he said.
Afridi said the party’s concerns grew each time access to its founder was denied, warning that “we are considering our last option.” He added that unemployment was rising and young people were leaving the country. “I will defend my province’s case in the NFC. I will attend the meeting. The government has postponed the NFC session four times.”
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He said PTI had used all democratic avenues. “I wanted to come earlier for a sit-in but was stopped by the founder’s sisters,” he noted. Peaceful protest, he said, had always been the party’s last resort. “Don’t take this lightly. They feel the pressure – we know that. When we come in full preparation, a lot of people will lose sleep. Even this sit-in is bothering them.”
TTAP chief Achakzai also addressed questions about Imran Khan’s health. “If there is concern that Imran Khan is ill, just ask him on camera. He will confirm that he is fine,” he said. “If you really want to run the country properly, ask him on camera about rumors about his health. It will only take two minutes – he will say he is fine, people will hear it and the matter will end,” he added.
Commenting on the government crisis, Achakzai added: “There is no real constitution in Pakistan. We have held all nations together under the constitution, but you are not upholding it for anyone.” He criticized the refusal to allow the KP Chief Minister a meeting despite a court order. “A representative came under a court order for a meeting and they refuse permission. Where is Pakistan going?” he asked.
He further warned that nationwide sit-ins could follow if the situation continued, saying the public would assert its authority over government institutions. He described governance as being in “a state of constitutional collapse” and accused authorities of breaking promises and undermining the province’s respectability.
“Have you ever heard of an entire province, with its chief minister, being blocked from meeting its leader? Promises are made and then broken. Where are you taking Pakistan? What respect are you showing to the provinces?” he added.
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PTI MPA Meena Khan Afridi also raised concerns over the founder’s health. “This is not an ordinary issue. It concerns the founder’s health. Despite repeated requests, we are not allowed to meet him. They must explain the reason,” she said. She added that the chief minister had previously indicated that “all options would be used” and that the sit-in was one such option. “We want the public to see their true face.”
Meanwhile, MNA Shahid Khattak criticized the treatment of the KP Chief Minister. “There was no plan for a sit-in. Only seven of us came. I went into the jail and gave them all the names. How can you make a chief minister who represents 50 million people sit on the roadside like this?” he asked. “This is their action; we will give a reaction.”
He said the party had called a meeting at the KP House to discuss the matter, adding that the PTI would not compromise on issues related to the founder’s confinement, health or the “disrespect” shown to the chief minister. “This is not their father’s country. They do not follow the constitution or the law. If we react strongly, they call us thugs. We will react – we will not let this go lightly.”
Khattak said that what happened on February 8 had been repeated on November 23. In the recent by-election, he claimed, 95 percent of voters abstained, saying the people of Punjab had “shown solidarity with the founder by not voting.”
