Negotiations underway between representatives of KP CM and Adiala Jail administration
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi continued a sit-in outside Adiala Jail late into the night on Thursday after authorities once again denied him permission to meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan. According to sources, negotiations were underway between representatives of the KP CM and the Adiala jail administration.
The talks are being held at a private building near the Faqirabad (factory) check post, sources said. Officials participating in the discussions include deputy 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 asked for guarantees about the health of the founder. The delegation also pressed for immediate permission to be given to the CM and the party leaders accompanying him to hold the requested meeting, the sources added.
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Earlier, Afridi had arrived at Adiala Jail and engaged in a heated exchange with police officers, reminding them that he had also been detained 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 create chaos here,” he said. “This is the eighth time I have come here respectfully,” he added, noting that repeated trips from Peshawar to Rawalpindi “were not easy” when meetings failed to materialise.
After multiple attempts, prison authorities refused to allow the gathering, prompting the prime minister to stage 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 social media reports about the PTI founder’s health. “If these concerns are not addressed through a meeting, the entire nation will take to the streets,” he warned. “We are sitting here. If the meeting does not take place, we will decide our next steps.” Afridi reiterated his demand for clarity. “We want to meet him and ask him about his well-being,” he said.
Afridi said the party’s concerns grew each time its founder was denied access, warning that “we are considering our last option.” He added that unemployment was rising and young people were leaving the country. “I will plead my province’s case at the NFC. I will attend the meeting. The government has postponed the NFC session four times.”
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He said the PTI had used all democratic avenues. “I wanted to come earlier for a sit-in, but the founder’s sisters stopped me,” he said. Peaceful protest, he said, had always been the party’s last resort. “Don’t take this lightly. You are feeling the pressure, we know it. When we arrive with full preparation, many people will lose sleep. Even this sit-in worries them.”
TTAP chief Achakzai also addressed questions about Imran Khan’s health. “If you are worried that Imran Khan is unwell, ask him on camera. He will confirm that he is fine,” he said. “If you really want to govern the country properly, then ask him on camera about the rumors about his health. It will only take two minutes: he will say it is fine, people will hear it and the matter will be over,” he added.
Commenting on the governance crisis, Achakzai added: “There is no real constitution in Pakistan. We have kept all nations united under the Constitution, but it is not defended to anyone.” He criticized the refusal to allow a meeting with the KP prime minister despite a court order. “A representative received a court order for a meeting and is denied permission. Where is Pakistan headed?” asked.
He further warned that nationwide sit-ins could occur if the situation persisted, saying that the public would assert their authority over state institutions. Describing governance as “a state of constitutional breakdown,” he accused authorities of breaking promises and undermining provincial respect.
“Have you ever heard of an entire province, with its chief minister, who has been prevented from meeting its leader? Promises are made and then broken. Where are they taking Pakistan? What respect are they showing to the provinces?” he added.
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PTI MPA Meena Khan Afridi also expressed concern over the founder’s health. “This is not just any issue. This is about the health of the founder. Despite repeated requests, we are not allowed to meet him. They must explain the reason,” he said. He added that the prime minister had previously indicated that “all options would be used” and that the sit-in was one of them. “We want the public to see his true face.”
Meanwhile, MNA Shahid Khattak criticized the treatment meted out to 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 prime minister who represents 50 million people sit like that on the side of the road?” asked. “This is your action; we will give a reaction.”
He said the party had called a meeting in the KP House to discuss the matter, adding that the PTI would not make concessions on issues related to the founder’s confinement, his health or the “lack of respect” shown to the prime minister. “This is not your father’s country. They do not respect the Constitution or the law. If we respond with force, they call us thugs. We will react, we will not let this happen easily.”
Khattak said that what happened on February 8 had been repeated on November 23. In the recent by-election, he claimed, 95 per cent of voters abstained, saying the people of Punjab had “shown solidarity with the founder by not voting”.
