Pakistan: KP Chief Minister stages sit-in after repeated denial of meeting with Imran Khan

Rawalpindi [Pakistan], November 28 : Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi staged an overnight sit-in outside Adiala jail after being denied a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan for the eighth consecutive time, Dawn reported.

The protest began on Thursday afternoon and included members of the KP cabinet, with visuals shared by the PTI showing Afridi and party workers offering Fajr prayers outside the prison on Friday morning.

According to Dawn, Afridi announced on the party's livestream that the sit-in was being wrapped up and that he would now approach the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

"We will now go to the IHC to meet the chief justice," he said, wrapped in a beige shawl amid cold weather.

He added that three IHC judges had ordered the meeting and directed the jail superintendent to arrange it. A three-member bench had earlier instructed Adiala authorities in October to allow a meeting between Afridi and Imran.

Referring to previous court directives, the KP CM said, "Previous orders were very clear that Khan sahib would be allowed to meet his family and lawyers on Tuesdays and party leadership on Thursdays."

He stressed that the court must ensure its orders are enforced, adding, "Otherwise, this is the law of the jungle."

Dawn reported that Afridi expressed frustration over exhausting all "constitutional and legal" options to secure the meeting.

"What other avenue is left for me to explore now?" he asked.

Afridi further said he had not received an explanation for why repeated requests were being denied, adding that party leaders had developed suspicions due to the prolonged restrictions.

He lamented that despite court orders, he, other PTI leaders, and Imran's family were not being permitted to meet the incarcerated party chief.

Referring to an incident involving Imran's sisters outside Adiala last week, he said, "You have seen their condition yourself; they were grabbed by their hair and disrespected."

Afridi accused authorities of using such "tactics" to "break the spirit" of the former prime minister.

He also alleged that Imran's wife, Bushra Bibi, "who is a pious woman," was being targeted in an attempt to "break" Imran.

"These tactics have no place in a civilised society," he added.

Afridi expressed concern that courts were failing to ensure compliance with their directives.

"I have not been allowed to meet him despite being here all day, all night, and it's morning now," he said.

As Dawn detailed, Afridi had travelled to Rawalpindi on Thursday morning for the scheduled meeting, but the jail administration did not allow him to proceed.

Police stopped him at Factory Naka, near Adiala jail, prompting the sit-in.

He told reporters, "I told the police that I was stopped last time, and I am also being stopped this time."

He added that he asked officers for a written explanation of why court orders were being defied but received none.

Afridi said the situation was "worsening" and questioned why authorities continued to ignore court instructions.

He remarked, "A province is being treated like a stepmother," adding that such treatment of a representative of 25 million people was unacceptable.

"Would you like it if it happened to someone else in another province tomorrow?" he asked.

He said no one, including Imran's sisters, doctors, lawyers, or party leadership, was being permitted to meet the PTI founder.

"These people need to decide who they are standing with. If they continue with this attitude, then we will take a final option," he said, without elaboration.

The PTI has also raised concerns over Imran's health, as he has been barred from meeting family and lawyers for more than three weeks.

Former aide Zulfi Bukhari said no one had seen Imran since November 4, and no reason had been provided for denying meetings, Dawn reported.

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