Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has issued directions for Sohail Afridi to form the provincial cabinet, said Khan’s sister Uzma, as the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister was once more denied permission to meet the former prime minister at Adiala Jail.
Speaking with media after meeting Khan, Uzma said her brother had granted the chief minister “complete authority” to form the provincial cabinet. Since being elected the new chief minister two weeks ago, Afridi has repeatedly tried to meet Khan, maintaining he would not form his cabinet until the meeting materialized. Last week, he secured a ruling from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) directing Adiala Jail’s authorities to ensure the meeting took place as per standard operating procedures. However, much like the past two weeks, Afridi returned from Adiala on Tuesday after being denied a meeting with Khan once more.
According to Uzma, her brother had issued the directions for Afridi during their meeting. She said Khan had urged the chief minister to “pick a small team.” She also claimed her brother had not proposed any names himself.
The former prime minister’s sister further said that Khan had expressed concern over a delay in the notification of Mahmood Khan Achakzai as the opposition leader in the National Assembly. She said Khan had said that PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja would serve as his sole spokesman for messages intended for the party to avoid confusion. The PTI founder had also questioned recent changes to the PTI’s leadership in Punjab, maintaining he had not issued any directions in this regard.
Contempt petition
After being denied a meeting with Khan, Afridi spoke with media outside Adiala Jail and said he would file a contempt plea against the jail’s authorities in the IHC over their refusal to comply with court orders. Questioning why he was being denied the meeting, he asserted that as Khan’s “nominated and appointed chief minister,” he must meet the PTI founder to consult him on various provincial matters.
To a question, the chief minister said he had received congratulatory calls from the Sindh chief minister and governor and the Balochistan chief minister, but had not yet received any such message from the Punjab leadership. “Instead of congratulations, Punjab has cut off our wheat supply, creating a flour crisis in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa,” he claimed.
He also clarified that a recent meeting between him and the Peshawar Corps Commander did not discuss any security issues.