KP CM says to consult PTI founder on new cabinet, key governance issues
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. SCREENSHOT
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 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s incarcerated founder Imran Khan.
The request, conveyed through the KP advocate general, asks the chief justice to direct the prison director and the interior ministry to facilitate the meeting, Express News reported.
In his letter, Afridi said that after the resignation of former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, he was elected to the post and now had to fulfill his constitutional responsibilities.
He said his moral and constitutional obligations required him to consult Imran Khan, the party’s chief patron, especially regarding the formation of the new provincial cabinet and other pressing governance issues.
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Afridi said he had earlier contacted the Home Ministry, Home Secretary and the Punjab government for permission to meet Khan, but was yet to receive a response.
“I am the elected chief minister of the province and the representative of 45 million people,” Afridi wrote. “It is my constitutional and moral duty to seek direction from the leader of my party.”
Terming the Khan’s advice as crucial on inter-provincial issues, the chief minister stressed that a supervised meeting inside the Adiala jail was necessary in the larger public interest.
Besides, Afridi approached the Islamabad High Court through a special power of attorney granted to the Advocate General of KP. A petition filed by lawyer Syed Ali Bukhari sought immediate permission for Afridi to meet the jailed PTI founder.
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The petition said Khan’s consultation was essential for cabinet formation and key administrative decisions. He reiterated that prior requests had already been made to the federal and state departments of Punjab.
The petition, which names federal and Punjab home secretaries, inspector general Punjab and superintendent of Adiala jail as respondents, also urges the court to allow not only a one-off meeting but also periodic interactions in future for continuous guidance.
Speaking to the media, KP Advocate General Shah Faisal confirmed that the petition was filed on behalf of Afridi. He said that after the proceedings in the Islamabad High Court, the matter would be referred to the Supreme Court and a formal hearing would be sought from the CJP.
Faisal added that the issue would also be raised on the administrative side of the Supreme Court as consultation with the PTI founder was essential for the formation of the provincial cabinet.
