Web desk: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sohail Afridi staged a sit-in outside Adiala Jail after being denied a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan for the eighth time since taking office, according to media reports.
Afridi said this was his eighth attempt at a meeting, and by rejecting it, the authorities were “insulting” not only him but the entire province.
Sohail Afridi Outside Adiala
Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail, Sohail Afridi said he had patiently approached the jail authorities several times but was turned away every time.
He said a person who represents a population of over 45 million should at least be given respect for his position.
The chief minister said the situation could get more tense if such treatment continued. He warned that “the day Sohail Afridi responds with force, they will understand.”
Sohail Afridi complained that he was not being allowed to meet Imran Khan without any clear reason, which, according to him, is tantamount to insulting the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He questioned why an elected Chief Minister was being prevented from meeting his leader? According to him, the jail authorities not only stopped him but also did not even inform the officials inside that he had been outside for several hours.
This situation has further increased the ongoing political tension between the KP government and the federal authorities.
Since Imran Khan’s arrest, relations between the two sides have been tense. Afridi says that his constant presence indicates the seriousness of the issue and the growing unrest in the province.
He said that he has been standing on a principled stand since day one, and by not allowing the meeting, a message is being sent to the people of the province that their representation has no value.
Meanwhile, there has been no official statement from the prison administration regarding the refusal to allow the meeting, which has made the matter even more complicated.
