Denial of meeting with IK for 9th time: KP CM to announce next course of action at public gathering on 7th

ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sohail Afridi said on Thursday that he will announce the next course of action at a public gathering scheduled for December 7 in Peshawar, after being denied a meeting with jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan for the ninth time.

Thursday was the scheduled visitation day for PTI leaders. Afridi, accompanied by Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Information and Public Relations, Shafiullah Jan, MNA Shahid Khattak, and some party supporters, reached the Daghal checkpoint, where the police stopped them from moving towards Adiala Jail.

Afridi said he would soon announce whether he plans to stage a sit-in or take other measures during the Peshawar gathering. He added that Khan had instructed him to “play on the front foot” but also warned him to remain cautious, citing collusion by “umpires.”

“If PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali had the power to arrange a meeting, PTI founding chairman Khan would not have been kept in isolation for so long,” Afridi said.

Afridi added that “the repeated refusal showed that our presence bothers them, so we will continue to return and cause that discomfort.” Street protests remained a constitutional right of the PTI, he said.

To a question about the rumours regarding imposition of governor’s rule in KP, Afridi asked, “What are they waiting for? Impose it today. We are not afraid. They would not be able to manage the situation.”

He accused the federal government of being unable to tolerate a CM from the tribal districts, warning that any move to remove him would provoke anger among residents of the merged tribal areas.

Shafi Jan said “we are neither in contact with anyone nor we want to remain in contact with anyone. We are only following the line of the person [Imran Khan] who is in jail,” adding “We will issue statements as per the directives of Khan.”

He sarcastically said that “his car does not have a trunk to hold a secret meeting.”

Responding to a question, Afridi asked, “Who is there for us to hold talks with?”

When a media person suggested that he speak with the Prime Minister, Jan replied, “What authority does the Prime Minister have?” He added that the Prime Minister cannot arrange a meeting between Afridi and Imran Khan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025