Afridi says peaceful movement unavoidable; force to be registered, oath-taking after Eid
K-P CM Afridi speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court. PHOTO: X
The chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi, on Wednesday announced the formation of the “Imran Khan Release Force” to campaign for the release of Imran Khan, saying a public movement had become “unavoidable after persistent violations of court directives”.
“The Free Imran Khan Force will wage a completely peaceful struggle. After his release, Imran Khan will himself dissolve the force,” Afridi said while speaking to reporters outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
He said membership cards would be ready within four to five days and youth from Peshawar would take oaths after Eidul Fitr. Responsibility for managing protests and negotiations had been assigned to Senate opposition leader Raja Nasir Abbas and National Assembly opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai, adding that Khan had delegated to them the task of preparing a street movement.
Afridi said the force would include members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the Insaf Students Federation and the party’s women’s wing. He said it would be formally registered, operate under a clear chain of command and begin activities only after preparations were complete.
According to Afridi, the initiative aims to ensure constitutional supremacy, strengthen democracy and safeguard an independent media.
Read: TTAP ends Parliament protest, raises concerns over Imran Khan’s health
Khan, 73, has been jailed since August 2023 after being convicted in several cases he says were politically motivated following his removal in a 2022 parliamentary vote. His party has intensified calls for his release after a medical report submitted to court said his right-eye vision had dropped to 15%, while the government maintains he is receiving the best care.
Separately, Abbas announced the end of a sit-in staged by the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan alliance outside parliament as Ramazan begins, saying the group would decide its next course of action.
He said the protest was organised to prevent what he called government negligence and unconstitutional actions, alleging lawmakers had effectively been confined within parliament premises and residences and that cases, including terrorism charges, had been filed against them while peaceful protests were obstructed.
Read more: SC adjourns Imran Khan’s Toshakhana, cipher, defamation cases indefinitely
On Khan’s health, Abbas said a medical report confirmed some improvement in his eyesight but concerns remained and monitoring was required. He said the condition had earlier been critical and accused jail authorities of negligence, adding legal action was under way.
He also called for specialist treatment at Shifa International Hospital and demanded that family members and doctors, including Faisal Sultan, be granted access. “Even slight improvement makes us happy, and we pray for his full recovery,” he said.
