Rawalpindi: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi held a sit-in outside Adiala Jail on Thursday after authorities again refused to allow him to meet jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. Afridi said this was his eighth attempt to seek a meeting and accused officials of humiliating the province he represents.
Afridi Says Province Being “Disrespected”
Speaking to reporters outside the prison gates, Afridi said he had repeatedly approached the jail “with patience” but continued to be turned away. He argued that officials should “at least acknowledge” his position as a representative of more than 45 million people.
Moreover, he warned that tensions could escalate if what he described as disrespectful treatment continued. “The day Sohail Afridi responds to force with force, only then will they understand,” he said.
Complaints Over Denied Access
Afridi questioned why he had not been permitted to meet Khan, saying the refusal amounted to the mistreatment of an entire province. “Why am I not being allowed to see Imran Khan? Why is a province being humiliated?” he asked. He added that such treatment of an elected chief minister was “not acceptable.”
According to Afridi, he arrived at Adiala Jail again on Thursday but officials did not grant him access to the PTI founder. He insisted that jail authorities should inform “everyone inside” that he had been waiting.
Escalating Political Friction
The confrontation adds to ongoing tensions between KP’s provincial leadership and federal authorities following Khan’s imprisonment. Afridi said his repeated appearances at the jail underscore the seriousness of the issue and the growing frustration within the province.
The jail administration has not publicly commented on the reasons for denying the meeting.
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