RAWALPINDI/PESHAWAR: After being denied a meeting with Imran Khan, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, along with other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, staged a sit-in on Adiala Road.
On Thursday, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was on his way to Adiala Jail with other political leaders to meet PTI founder Imran Khan, when police stopped them at the Gorakhpur checkpoint. The jail authorities did not allow the chief minister or any political leader to meet the PTI founder. A heavy police contingent was deployed outside Adiala Jail at the time.
Sohail Afridi said that he would remain there until he was allowed to meet Imran Khan. “We want to meet the PTI founder and inquire about his health,” he stated.
Addressing police officers, he said, “I represent 45 million people of a province. I have come here respectfully for the eighth time — why am I being denied a meeting?” He added that such animosity and bitterness could be harmful for Pakistan. “I was stopped before, and I am being stopped again. I asked for the reasons in writing, explaining why the court orders are not being followed. You did not provide any written justification before — at least give one today.”
Member of the National Assembly Shahid Khattak, provincial ministers Meena Khan Afridi, Shafi Jan, Shaukat Yousafzai, Shafqat Abbas and Amirullah Marwat also accompanied the chief minister.
Meanwhile, CM Afridi said that there is still a final option on the table, and it is under consideration.
Speaking to the media near the Gorakhpur checkpoint outside Adiala Jail, he said, “We have adopted all legal and democratic avenues. I wanted to join the sit-in, but the founder’s sisters advised me not to.”
He said, “What happened on February 8 also happened on November 23. They want the public to lose faith in democracy.” He claimed that in the recent by-elections, 95 percent of people did not turn out to vote, and that people of Punjab expressed solidarity with Imran Khan by abstaining from voting. “Our concerns are growing because we are not being allowed to meet the PTI founder,” he added. “We still have a last option, and we are considering it.”
He asked journalists whether they believed the government had any real authority. “Negotiations with the government were held on Imran Khan’s instructions, but they have no power,” he said. He reiterated that their concerns are deepening due to the refusal to allow a meeting with the PTI founder. “I did not say anything about talking to anyone because they do not have a mandate,” he stated.
He further added, “The IMF has presented a charge sheet against the current government. The media should speak about the Rs5.3 trillion corruption — that money came from taxpayers. They embezzled Rs5.3 trillion and did not even flinch. Unemployment is skyrocketing, and the youth are leaving Pakistan.”
Afridi said that accountability would also be demanded from those who robbed the public mandate. He announced that he would participate in the NFC meeting to advocate for his province’s interests. “The government has postponed the NFC meeting four times.”
Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Thursday said the recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report highlighted large-scale financial irregularities and a serious governance crisis within the federal system, raising grave concerns over financial corruption amounting to approximately Rs 5,300 billion.
He expressed concern that public resources are being diverted to the purchase of overseas properties instead of domestic development, industry, and public welfare, while effective accountability remains absent.
Addressing students at the Job Fair at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Peshawar, he emphasized the importance of youth understanding national economic realities.
He urged students to develop a clear understanding of the country’s financial system, federal-provincial relations, and equitable distribution of constitutional rights.
The chief minister noted that an important National Finance Commission (NFC) meeting is scheduled for December 4 and stressed that students should be aware of its significance in shaping the country’s economic future.
He proposed awareness seminars on the NFC and financial injustices to be held every Monday across all universities in the province.
Referring to the 2018 merger of the former tribal districts with KP, he said that while the constitutional and administrative merger had been completed, the financial merger remained incomplete, reflecting the federal government’s indifferent policy toward the development of merged districts and KP as a whole.
He clarified that KP’s rightful share in the NFC is 19.4 percent, but the province currently receives only 14.6 percent, resulting in an annual financial loss of around Rs 400 billion. The federal government still owes Rs 1,300 billion under the NFC framework and Rs 2,200 billion in Net Hydel Profit to the province.
He questioned the basis of Imran Khan’s conviction in the Al-Qadir Trust case, noting that the institution provides education on Seerat-un-Nabi (peace be upon him), while those involved in financial scandals of Rs 5.3 trillion face no meaningful accountability.
Highlighting provincial government initiatives for youth, he said that nearly 2,000 students have been successfully registered with various companies, and a comprehensive internship policy for graduates is being developed to provide structured employment, skill development, and professional training opportunities.
The chief minister assured that students unable to complete their education for any reason will receive support through special programs. He also praised the strong presence of female engineering students, noting that women in KP are excelling in every field.
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has stated that the party has serious reservations regarding the health of Imran Khan.
Speaking to the media outside Parliament House, he insisted that a meeting with the PTI founder must be allowed, noting that his last meeting was on November 4. He said that neither lawyers, family members, nor party leadership are being granted access, and that court orders permitting meetings are not being followed.
Separately, PTI Information Secretary Waqas Akram expressed profound outrage over swirling rumours in national and international media regarding the health, safety and wellbeing of the party founder. He warned that the nation would not tolerate any ambiguity about its leader’s status.
The party spokesman demanded immediate and unrestricted access for its leadership to obtain firsthand information about his condition. He declared that “power grabbers” must not test the public’s patience any further, vowing that the “unrepresentative regime” could not harm Khan in the slightest.
He insisted that the regime immediately allow PTI leaders, family members and lawyers to meet with Khan to put the rumours to rest and provide clarity on his actual condition, stating that the nation no longer trusts official statements.
Meanwhile, the PTI Central Media Department has issued a statement from Imran Khan’s son, Kasim Khan, regarding his father’s solitary confinement.
“My father has been under arrest for 845 days. For the past six weeks, he has been kept in solitary confinement in a death cell with zero transparency. His sisters have been denied every visit, even with clear court orders allowing access. There have been no phone calls, no meetings, and no proof of life. My brother and I have had no contact with our father,” he said.
He noted that this absolute blackout is not a security protocol but a deliberate attempt to hide his condition and prevent the family from knowing whether he is safe.
“Let it be clear: the Pakistani government and its handlers will be held fully accountable, legally, morally, and internationally, for my father’s safety and for every consequence of this inhumane isolation. I call on the international community, global human rights organisations, and every democratic voice to intervene urgently. Demand proof of life, enforce court-ordered access, end this inhumane isolation, and call for the release of Pakistan’s most popular political leader, who is being held solely for political reasons,” he said.
