Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi. Photo: Archive
RAWALPINDI:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi once again failed to meet jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on Thursday (for the ninth time).
The visibly angry premier later said that denying a provincial premier access to his leader despite a high court order was illegal and amounted to contempt of court.
“This has become a serious matter. We will give a strong and firm response,” he said.
After attending a National Finance Commission (NFC) meeting in Islamabad, Afridi arrived near Adiala Jail, where a heavy police deployment had blocked the road with containers and barbed wire at the Dagal checkpoint.
They did not even allow him to walk towards the prison. The meeting time was set between 2 and 4 p.m. At 4 p.m., the CM’s protocol staff was informed that the meeting would not take place as permission had not been granted.
At 4:45 pm, the Prime Minister returned from Dagal police check post and headed back to Peshawar. Earlier, speaking to the media, Afridi paid tribute to the PTI founder.
“Prisoner number 804, Tehreek leader and Imam of the Revolution, Imran Khan, lives in our hearts. We eat, drink, sit and rise with his name, and will continue to do so all our lives,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that the other three provinces were being given their due rights, but unfortunately the KP was being deprived even though the KP people had made immense sacrifices in the war against terrorism.
“I presented my case at the meeting. After the 25th Amendment, the tribal districts were merged into the KP, but their share is yet to be given to them.
“I said at the meeting that this is unconstitutional. In principle, all participants agreed and it was decided that a subcommittee will be formed next Wednesday and the recommendations will be finalized by January 8. The next NFC meeting will be held in January. We are now assured that we will receive it.”
Replying to a question, Sohail Afridi said that it is not the KP government but certain “facilitators” who got the nomination papers of “that Afghan criminal” approved by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
“Before we had ‘good Taliban’ and ‘bad Taliban’. Now there are ‘good Afghans’ and ‘bad Afghans’. Those involved in crimes are being included in parliament.”
A heavy police contingent was deployed at the Dagal checkpoint, the road was sealed with containers and a large number of workers were present, loudly chanting anti-government slogans. They later dispersed peacefully.
