KP CM says he must consult PTI founder on new cabinet and key governance issues
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. SCREEN CAPTURE
Newly elected Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has written to the Chief Justice of Pakistan and also filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court, seeking permission to meet imprisoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan.
The request, sent through the KP Advocate General, asks the Chief Justice to direct the jail superintendent and the Ministry of Home Affairs to facilitate the meeting, Express News reported.
In his letter, Afridi stated that following the resignation of former Prime Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, he was elected to the post and must now shoulder his constitutional responsibilities.
He said both his moral and constitutional obligations required him to consult Imran Khan, the party’s patron-in-chief, particularly regarding the formation of the new provincial cabinet and other urgent governance matters.
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Afridi explained that he had previously contacted the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Home Secretary and the Punjab government for permission to meet Khan, but had yet to receive a response.
“I am the elected prime minister of the province and representative of 45 million people,” Afridi wrote. “It is my constitutional and moral duty to seek directives from the leader of my party.”
The prime minister termed Khan’s guidance as crucial in inter-provincial matters and emphasized that a supervised meeting inside Adiala Jail was necessary in the larger public interest.
On the other hand, Afridi approached the Islamabad High Court through a special power of attorney given to the Advocate General of the KP. A petition filed by lawyer Syed Ali Bukhari sought immediate permission for Afridi to meet the jailed PTI founder.
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The petition stated that consultation with Khan was essential for cabinet formation and key administrative decisions. He reiterated that prior requests had already been made to both the federal and Punjab home departments.
The petition, which names the federal and Punjab home secretaries, the inspector general of Punjab and the superintendent of Adiala jail as respondents, also urges the court to allow not only a one-time meeting but also regular interactions in the future for continuous guidance.
Speaking to the media, KP Advocate General Shah Faisal confirmed that the petition had been filed on behalf of Afridi. He said that after the proceedings in the Islamabad High Court, the matter would be taken to the Supreme Court and a formal hearing would be sought with the CJP.
Faisal added that the issue would also arise on the administrative side of the Supreme Court as consultation with the PTI founder was essential to form the provincial cabinet.
