ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Thursday lashed out at federal ministers, demanding an apology for their “malicious campaign” against him, a campaign he claims was designed to tear him down following his nomination to the provincial top post.
Talking to reporters after being snubbed by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for a meeting, Afridi fired back with palpable frustration. “I was nominated as the Chief Minister, and the very next thing I knew, these ministers were holding press conferences. They owe me an apology. No question about it.”
His anger was particularly stoked by ongoing allegations against him, centred around his alleged involvement in last year’s November 24 protest, which, he claimed, continued to be weaponised against him.
“These are old accusations,” he seethed. “Yet they were still being thrown at me like they were fresh. This was a deliberate attempt to malign my name.”
Addressing the controversial May 9 events, which he branded a “false flag operation,” he lambasted the powers that be for their double standards.
He accused the authorities of granting a free pass to PTI-linked individuals, who, after holding brief two-minute press conferences to disassociate from the party, were allowed to walk free.
He continued, saying that meanwhile, those who remained loyal to ex-prime minister Imran Khan’s ideology were locked up – not for committing any crime, but for refusing to abandon their political allegiance.
“If those in power believed they were upholding the rule of law, then explain this: why were the ones who gave press conferences granted a pass, but those who stood by Khan were thrown into prison,” Afridi questioned, his voice rising in anger. “This was proof that the rule of law has become a joke in this country.”
But the real bombshell came next. Afridi revealed that, despite exhausting every legal option, he had been denied a meeting with his leader Imran Khan.
“I waited for two hours in the IHC’s chamber, but they refused to let me in,” he said, frustration dripping from his words. “This was not just a personal snub – it was an assault on my political rights. If they think this would silence me, they are mistaken.”
Afridi made it clear that his fight wasn’t over. “If I have to take this to court, I will. The legal system better step up and deliver justice,” he vowed.
In a defiant closing, Afridi didn’t mince words about his political future: “Imran Khan will return. And he will become the Prime Minister again. No matter what they do, nothing can stop that.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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