PTBP Web Desk
Tensions escalated in Rawalpindi on Thursday after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was blocked by police from meeting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan at Adiala Jail, despite holding written permission from the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The incident has reignited political debate over the government’s handling of PTI leaders and raised questions about the enforcement of court orders in politically sensitive cases.
According to Aaj News, CM Afridi had obtained formal approval from the Islamabad High Court earlier in the day to meet the PTI founder. Following the court’s decision, he proceeded towards Adiala Jail, where Imran Khan has been incarcerated since his conviction in the Toshakhana case. However, police intercepted the chief minister at the Dahgal checkpoint near the prison and denied him entry.
Eyewitnesses and party sources reported that when police refused him passage despite his court-issued permission letter, Sohail Afridi sat on the road in protest. Surrounded by party supporters and security personnel, the chief minister declared that he would not leave until his legal right to meet his party leader was granted.
“I have written permission from the IHC to meet my leader. No one can deny me this right,” Afridi was quoted as saying.
A heavy police contingent was deployed at the checkpoint, creating a tense atmosphere. However, officials later said that the situation remained “under control”, and efforts were being made to prevent the standoff from escalating further.
In a video statement shared on PTI’s official Facebook page, the party’s secretary general and senior lawyer Barrister Salman Akram Raja criticized the jail administration for repeatedly ignoring the Islamabad High Court’s directives.
“For seven months, the jail administration has failed to implement the court’s decision. This is a clear defiance of judicial authority,” Raja said.
“If the courts do not take action, then this will set a dangerous precedent. Those who disregard court orders must face consequences. Only when such officials are punished will others think twice before doing the same,” he added.
The PTI leadership alleged that the repeated denial of access to their detained chairman is part of a broader attempt to isolate Imran Khan politically and suppress communication between him and his party members.
This was not the first time that CM Afridi attempted to meet Imran Khan. On October 16, he had similarly tried to visit the PTI founder at Adiala Jail but was turned away by prison authorities, even though advance notice had been given.
Speaking to reporters outside the prison after that failed attempt, Afridi said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had personally congratulated him on assuming office and had assured him that he would look into the meeting issue. However, despite multiple reminders, Afridi said he received no response from either the Punjab government or the federal authorities.
“I informed both the Punjab and federal governments about this matter, but no one replied. We have exhausted all legal and political options. Our only remaining path is peaceful protest,” Afridi told journalists.
Party sources also confirmed that legal notices and letters were sent to the concerned ministries requesting facilitation of the meeting, but the requests were either ignored or delayed without explanation.
The latest developments follow a decision by the Islamabad High Court on October 20, which removed objections raised by the registrar’s office on CM Afridi’s petition seeking permission to meet Imran Khan.
A single bench of Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir heard the petition and issued notices to the Interior Ministry, the Punjab Home Department, the Inspector General of Punjab Prisons, and the Superintendent of Adiala Jail. The court ordered all respondents to submit their replies and deferred the next hearing until October 23.
The IHC ruling was viewed as a small victory for the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, as it reaffirmed the legality of CM Afridi’s request. However, Thursday’s blockade demonstrated that court decisions continue to face administrative resistance, particularly in cases involving Imran Khan.
Legal experts have expressed concern over the apparent defiance of judicial orders, noting that obstructing a chief minister who possesses written court authorization raises serious constitutional questions.
Advocates argue that such incidents undermine public confidence in the rule of law, especially when courts explicitly permit actions that the executive branch refuses to implement.
Meanwhile, PTI supporters across social media platforms launched the hashtag Let AfridiMeetImran, demanding immediate accountability for the officers who blocked the meeting. Videos from the protest site showed Afridi sitting on the road while police personnel surrounded him, symbolizing what party members called “a direct insult to democracy and judicial authority.”
The confrontation at Adiala Jail adds another layer to Pakistan’s already tense political landscape. With Imran Khan’s imprisonment continuing to dominate national headlines, the relationship between provincial governments and federal institutions remains strained.
Analysts believe that preventing the KP chief minister from meeting his party leader could further deepen political divisions and fuel PTI’s narrative of state-backed victimization.
