K-P CM laments violation of court order

Afridi denied meeting with Imran for seventh time

RAWALPINDI:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was denied a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan on Thursday for the seventh time. Afridi later lamented that the executive was violating court orders with impunity as he urged courts to get their orders implemented.

Talking to the media outside the Adiala Jail where Imran has been incarcerated since September 2023, the K-P chief minister, who also belongs to the PTI, said he will no longer call the prime minister for a permission to meet Imran as the PM lacks authority.

"We have clear court orders in our favour. So who is stopping me now? Three judges have issued directions, yet I am told by a police official that he has not seen the orders.

"Have court directives become so worthless that an SHO can simply say he has not read them? Institutions should immediately enforce their own orders—and if they do not, then they should not complain about criticism," he said.

Afridi said his frustration stemmed from the blatant disregard for the Constitution and the law. "My tone may sound stern, but it is not unconstitutional. It is my right to speak firmly when someone refuses to follow the law. That is all I can do."

He said he had written letters to the chief justice and even called him but received no response.

"If we follow all constitutional and democratic routes and are still denied a meeting, then what should the PTI and I do," the CM said, adding that he had requested permission to meet Imran Khan right after taking oath of office last month.

He urged the federal government to treat the K-P as a constitutional unit of the federation and release the province's outstanding dues—of more than Rs3 trillion. With those dues, he said, we can cover the development gap.

Afridi said intelligence-based operations had never stopped in the K-P.

"They themselves say more than 14,000 IBOs have been conducted. No one denies that terrorism exists in the K-P. All stakeholders must come out of closed rooms and adopt a policy that can end terrorism so no soldier or civilian is martyred."

He said if terrorism has not ended in 20 years, then the policy must change.

"We do not oppose operations against terrorists. Our objection is to civilian casualties. Soldiers are our own; we will never question their sacrifices. We know the policy shift we demand can bring lasting peace to Pakistan."

He condemned the incident involving Imran Khan's sisters two days earlier.

"Unarmed, non-political women come to meet their brother and are denied access. His sisters were pushed to the ground and humiliated. The fake chief minister of Punjab should be ashamed.

"As a woman, she should respect another woman. Power is not permanent. If this is how non-political women are treated, then no one should expect others to play the 'woman card' in future."

He said when he spoke, an FIR was registered against him. "The FIA has lodged a case, my passport is blacklisted, and I cannot leave the country. Those who plundered the nation's wealth travel freely. I was born here and will die here; Pakistan is mine. Anyone thinking of separating Pakistan is a traitor."

Afridi announced that November 26 would be observed as a "Black Day" because of the alleged firing on PTI workers on November 26, 2024.