Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was barred on Thursday from visiting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, regardless of judicial directives.
The Islamabad High Court instructed the Adiala jail superintendent to carry out a March 24 order that reaffirmed the twice-a-week meeting schedule for the founder PTI, Imran Khan.
However, the jail officials did not allow CM Afridi to meet with the imprisoned prime minister, causing the chief minister to leave Rawalpindi.
The instruction came as an extended bench, led by Justice Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and including Justices Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Muhammad Azam Khan, jointly heard 11 petitions submitted by PTI leaders regarding Imran’s jail meeting. The former prime minister’s family and party have repeatedly blamed prison officials for “sabotaging” meetings with him.
During the hearing, the IHC instructed Adiala jail’s Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum, who was present during the session, to enable Imran’s jail visits, as per the previous directive, while observing standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The court directed jail authorities to arrange the meetings according to the list provided by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, who also argued the case before the bench.
Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail, CM Afridi said, “For the past two years, I have not met my leader. Yesterday’s meeting was important for taking policy direction and moving forward in line with the vision of Imran Khan.”
