Sohail Afridi barred from meeting Imran Khan despite IHC directive

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was not allowed on Thursday to meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan despite a court order.

The Islamabad High Court directed the Adiala jail superintendent to implement a March 24 order that reinstated the twice-a-week meeting schedule for the former prime minister Imran Khan.

However, the jail authorities did not allow a meeting with the incarcerated prime minister, forcing the chief minister to leave Rawalpindi.

The directive came as a larger bench, led by Justice Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and including Justices Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Muhammad Azam Khan, collectively took up all 11 petitions filed by PTI leaders regarding Imran's jail visitation. The ex-premier's family and party have repeatedly accused prison authorities of "sabotaging" meetings with him.

During the hearing, the IHC directed Adiala jail's Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum, who was present during the hearing, to allow Imran's jail meetings, as per the earlier order, while abiding by standard operating procedures (SOPs).

It directed the jail official to facilitate the meetings as per the list provided by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, who also presented arguments before the bench.

Raja and Anjum also traded barbs during the hearing as the PTI leader claimed that "not even once" was the earlier IHC order implemented despite them giving a list of names, while the jail official asserted that "regular meetings" were held, but no list was received.

Petitions taken up by the bench included those by newly elected Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who attended the IHC hearing. Shortly after the hearing, CM Afridi arrived at Adiala Jail to meet Imran, but his convoy was stopped by police at Dahgal checkpoint near the prison.

He staged a short sit-in outside the jail, demanding the implementation of the high court's directives to permit his meeting with the incarcerated party founder.

Speaking to media persons outside the Adiala jail, CM Afridi said that the refusal to implement a clear court order reflects not his weakness, but the "helplessness of the judiciary" itself.

"If court orders are not being respected, it raises serious questions about the state of justice in the country," he was quoted as saying.

The chief minister stressed that his visit was "purely Constitutional and aimed at seeking guidance from his party leader on key policy matters related to governance" in KP, the statement added.

"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," Afridi said.

The PTI later posted a video on its X account of Afridi speaking to the media outside the Adiala jail. Afridi said on the occasion that he would be seeking policy guidelines from Imran during their meeting.

"Nothing else is going to take place inside. I have to implement my leader's policies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He might give me some good advice inside […] There is nothing wrong with us wanting to meet our leader," he added.

A subsequent post reshared by the PTI's account showed Afridi, along with several others, sitting on the ground. The post stated that they were not being allowed to meet Imran despite court directives.

"A symbolic sit-in is under way," it said.

According to a statement later issued by the K-P CM Secretariat, "Despite the court's explicit permission, the chief minister was not allowed to meet his party leader (Imran)."

The chief minister asserted that he had followed every legal and administrative channel - including communications with the Punjab Home Department, the federal government, and the chief justice [of Pakistan] - before approaching the Islamabad High Court.

"Whatever instructions come from Imran Khan, I will implement them in letter and spirit," CM Afridi asserted. "No cabinet will be formed without the guidance of Imran Khan," he affirmed.

Political talks of prisoners

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the decision of a single bench and restored the law banning political talks by prisoners in jail. A three-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court, Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar, delivered a reserved verdict.

The larger bench suspended the decision of the single bench, Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq, and restored the law banning political speech by prisoners in jail. The single member bench had declare the law banning political speech by prisoners in jail null and void.