Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi addresses a video message on January 27, 2026. Screen recording
PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Monday said PTI workers were present on the streets without a formal protest call from Imran Khan’s party as opposition lawmakers continued their sit-in outside Parliament, demanding treatment for the imprisoned PTI founder under the supervision of his trusted doctors.
Amid these protests, the KP CM, who belongs to the PTI, issued a statement clarifying that the party’s strategy was clear: it wanted to limit the protest plan to parliament.
According to Afridi, the lawmakers, led by Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Nasir Abbas, are holding a peaceful sit-in in front of Parliament. “Despite the fact that several parliamentarians have been arrested, the sit-in continues and no official call for protest has been issued,” he said.
He said the fact that not even a single flower pot was damaged shows that the PTI protest is civilized, constitutional and within the limits of the law.
He warned that if disruptive elements try to infiltrate the protesters to create chaos, the responsibility will fall exclusively on the government. Afridi said the party is currently going through a difficult phase as Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi are unjustly imprisoned.
“While workers may be excited, they have been urged to exercise patience and restraint. PTI is not a mob but a disciplined political party with a clear chain of command. Any decision on protests or future strategy will be taken only by the leaders appointed by Imran Khan,” he said.
He said that when an official call is given, the public response will be such that no force will be able to stop it. However, he emphasized that the current problem has only to do with Imran Khan’s health and not with political maneuvers.
Meanwhile, an alliance of opposition parties, the TTAP, announced on Monday that it would continue its sit-in in Parliament until its demands are met. After a meeting, PTI leader Asad Qaiser said consultations were being held on the next course of action.
He stated that the alliance decided to continue with the sit-in until their demands are met. “Our demand is that the personal doctor of the PTI founder be allowed to meet him,” he said.
Following the opposition alliance’s decision, the sit-in in front of Parliament resumed, with parliamentarians chanting slogans at the main gate.
Earlier, during a consultative meeting, members expressed serious concerns over a propaganda campaign on social media and questions raised by the sisters of the PTI founder.
Some members demanded clarity on whether the party would be led by Imran’s sister Aleema Khan and the PTI founder’s family or by the political committee.
