K-P CM says he must consult PTI founder on the new cabinet and key governance issues
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. SCREENGRAB
Newly elected Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has written to the Chief Justice of Pakistan and also filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court, seeking permission to meet the incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder, Imran Khan.
The request, routed through the K-P Advocate General, asks the chief justice to direct the jail superintendent and the Ministry of Interior to facilitate the meeting, Express News reported.
In his letter, Afridi stated that after the resignation of former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, he was elected to the post and must now assume his constitutional responsibilities.
He said that both moral and constitutional obligations required him to consult Imran Khan, the party’s patron-in-chief, particularly regarding the formation of the new provincial cabinet and other pressing governance matters.
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Afridi explained that he had earlier reached out to the Ministry of Interior, the interior secretary, and the Punjab government to obtain permission to meet Khan but had yet to receive a response.
“I am the elected chief minister of the province and a representative of 45 million people,” Afridi wrote. “It is my constitutional and moral duty to seek directives from my party leader.”
Calling the Khan’s guidance crucial on inter-provincial matters, the chief minister stressed that a supervised meeting inside Adiala Jail was necessary in the broader public interest.
Separately, Afridi has approached the Islamabad High Court through a special power of attorney granted to the K-P Advocate General. A petition filed by lawyer Syed Ali Bukhari sought immediate permission for Afridi to meet the imprisoned PTI founder.
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The petition stated that consultation with Khan was essential for the cabinet formation and key administrative decisions. It reiterated that prior requests had already been made to both the federal and Punjab home departments.
The petition, which names the federal and Punjab home secretaries, the Punjab inspector general, and the Adiala Jail superintendent as respondents, also urges the court to allow not only a one-time meeting but also periodic interactions in the future for continued guidance.
Speaking to the media, K-P Advocate General Shah Faisal confirmed that the petition had been filed on behalf of Afridi. He said that after proceedings in the Islamabad High Court, the matter would be taken to the Supreme Court, and a formal audience would be sought with the CJP.
Faisal added that the issue would also be raised on the Supreme Court’s administrative side, as consultation with the PTI founder was critical for forming the provincial cabinet.
