ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Police on Tuesday barred a convoy of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi from entering the federal capital as it was on its way to Adiala Jail to express solidarity with incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s sisters.
Police first stopped Afridi from entering Islamabad at Chungi No 26, while Khan’s sisters – Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma Khan, Noreen Khan – were stopped from entering the capital as they were coming from Lahore to meet their brother on the designated visitation day for Khan’s sisters and legal team.
PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar, several PTI parliamentarians, as well as party workers at Chungi No 26, were also stopped from proceeding to Adiala Jail, leaving them with no option but stage a sit-in at Chungi No 26.
Police blocked the road by placing containers, causing severe traffic congestion and leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded. A heavy contingent of police, along with water cannons and prison vans, was deployed in the area.
A heated exchange also took place between the KP chief minister and police officials at the scene.
Afridi, while talking to the media, said that he, along with cabinet members and parliamentarians, had been stopped while peacefully heading to Adiala Jail to show solidarity with Khan’s sisters.
“This is not only an insult to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but also to the 45 million people of the province,” he said.
Afridi stated that PTI leaders and workers regularly go to Adiala Jail and disperse peacefully even after being denied permission to meet Khan.
“We were going peacefully to Adiala Jail because Tuesday is the designated meeting day for Khan’s sisters,” he said. “On several occasions, police at Adiala Jail resorted to baton charges against Khan’s sisters and PTI workers, yet our workers remained peaceful: he said.
The chief minister accused the government of deliberately blocking the road and preventing his entry into Islamabad.
“The whole country should know that they have stopped the entry of a provincial chief executive,” he said.
Calling the treatment “intolerable,” Afridi said stopping a sitting chief minister on the road sent a dangerous message.
“What kind of message are they trying to give? Do they want to separate Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from Pakistan?” he asked.
He further questioned why authorities were unwilling to allow Khan’s sisters to meet him or permit his treatment at a private hospital.
Without directly naming the Sharif family, Afridi remarked that their entire family had travelled abroad for medical treatment in the past.
He also claimed that Imran Khan was suffering from a serious eye condition and warned that PTI would no longer tolerate such treatment.
“If they do not mend their ways, we will do what we had previously decided not to do,” he warned.
Afridi announced that PTI leaders, including Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and the opposition leader in the National Assembly, would join the sit-in at Chungi No. 26.
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Khan’s sisters, PTI leaders, and workers continued their sit-in at Chungi number 26 till the filing of this report.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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