IHC issues notices on CM Afridi's plea

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has removed its registrar office's objections to a petition of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who wants to meet PTI founder Iman Khan at Adiala Jail.

Admitting the petition for hearing, the court has issued notices to respondents including the interior secretary, the Punjab home secretary, the inspector general of police and the Adiala Jail superintendent, ordering them to submit their responses by October 23.

IHC Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir on Monday heard CM Afridi's petitions along with the objections raised by the registrar.

The Registrar's Office had objected that petitions regarding meetings with the PTI founder in jail had already been clubbed together and decided by the court, which had also laid down the procedure and SOPs for such meetings.

Another objection was that PTI officeholders are authorized to prepare the list of party representatives allowed to meet Imran Khan every week yet those officeholders were not made parties to the current petition. It had also stated that a chief minister could not file a petition without the approval of the provincial cabinet.

Appearing on behalf of the CM, Advocate Syed Ali Bukhari countered the objections. He stated that the provincial cabinet has not yet been formed and the CM also wanted to consult Imran before selecting his cabinet.

After hearing the arguments, the court overruled the objections and issued notices to the relevant authorities—including the interior secretary, Punjab home secretary, IGP, and Adiala Jail superintendent—directing them to submit their replies by October 23.

Afridi, a PTI stalwart, took oath of office on October 15, replacing Ali Amin Gandapur, who was removed from the key position on the instruction of Imran Khan.

The CM on October 17 gave special power of attorney to K-P Advocate General Shah Faisal, who, through Advocate Syed Ali Bukhari, filed the petition.

The petitioner requested the court that he be allowed immediate access to the PTI founder and that orders be issued permitting periodic meetings between the two in the future.

It said applications for a meeting had already been submitted to the Federal Ministry of Interior and the Punjab Home Department.