Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Sohail Afridi was denied permission to meet incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan for the 10th time on Thursday by the Adiala jail administration, while party leaders remain divided over the continuation of prolonged sit-ins outside the jail, warning that they could adversely affect the incarcerated leader.
Political temperatures rose further a day earlier, as Rawalpindi police sought a legal opinion on the question of registering an FIR against PTI leaders and supporters over a protest outside Adiala jail, even as the party moved a privilege motion in the National Assembly over alleged use of force against its workers, and voiced alarm at reports of Imran Khan’s possible transfer to another prison.
The PTI also joined other opposition parties in warning that efforts to “minus” the incarcerated former premier and clamp down on peaceful protest would only deepen the stand-off with the government and push the country towards greater political turmoil.
Some party leaders believe token protests should continue outside Adiala jail, warning that a halt could give the “powers that be” an excuse to create a “scene” and potentially transfer Imran to another facility.
A senior party leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were differing opinions within the party. “One group favors prolonged sit-ins, believing they will put pressure on the government and the powers that be. The other group believes a token protest outside the jail should be held before dispersing,” he added.
When asked about the rationale behind the token protest, a PTI MNA said there were concerns that the “powers that be” might create a scene outside Adiala Jail, such as orchestrating a blast or staging a false-flag operation, to allege that an attempt had been made to break into the facility and free Imran Khan.
“After that, the government will be able to convince the international community that it was necessary to shift Imran Khan from Adiala Jail to somewhere else. We don’t want to give the government any such excuse,” he explained.
Another leader who belongs to Punjab said that for the last three months, workers and leaders from Punjab were regularly reaching the prison.
“Our attendance is marked in Lahore and sometimes in Kallar Kahar. Each MPA or leader who brings four people with him in a car spends Rs50,000 to Rs60,000, as they usually reach Lahore or other parts of Punjab the next day. Peshawar, however, is less than two hours away, so leaders and workers can easily travel from there and return. Despite this, people from Punjab have dominated the crowds every time. The KP chief minister arrives at Adiala Jail with only a few people; he does not even bother to bring his full cabinet,” he claimed.
He added that in several meetings of the parliamentary party, some members suggested that workers should stage a token protest outside Adiala Jail and then disperse.
“Everyone knows that we will not be allowed to meet Khan sahab, so we should record the protest and save our energies for the right time,” he suggested.
Another MNA claimed that ever since Aleema Khanum took control of the party’s social media operations, online trolling targets anyone who speaks with logic or suggests a practical approach to securing Imran’s release.
“On the other hand, it is also a fact that our workers are arrested while Aleema is not, despite non-bailable warrants having been issued for her. We have received messages from certain quarters that if we ‘calm down’, meetings with Khan sahib may be allowed in a few weeks. However, some individuals appear more interested in self-projection,” he claimed.
“It is a fact that earlier this week, while Aleema Khanum was holding a sit-in, around 20 of our vehicles were damaged, and police seized the keys of several others. As a result, even those cars that were not damaged could not be driven away by party leaders,” he claimed.
“There are some people who reach the sit-in for ratings as they are active on social media,” he added.
He further said that in the past, Mashal Yousafzai, after meeting Imran and Bushra Bibi, had conveyed that they had instructed her to end the protests outside Adiala jail and stage demonstrations outside the Islamabad High Court instead.
“A written directive was also issued in this regard, but later Aleema Khanum met Khan sahab and claimed he had not given any such instructions, after which the protests outside Adiala jail resumed,” he added.
Central Information Secretary PTI Sheikh Waqas Akram, while talking to the media, admitted that the decision was made to stop protests outside the prison.
“However, when Aleema Khanum announced that she would hold the protest outside Adiala jail, the party decided to stand along with her. She is the sister of Imran Khan, and we will stand by her,” Waqas explained.
Former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, speaking to the media, dismissed reports of internal rifts within the party as “disinformation.”
“There can be differences of opinion, that is the beauty of a political party. In the last parliamentary party meeting, it was unanimously decided that all decisions will be taken by Mahmood Khan Achakzai, and the entire party will follow his lead,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Sohail Afridi was denied permission to meet Imran for the 10th time on Thursday. Although he arrived at Adiala Jail, the police informed him that the meeting could not be allowed.
Speaking to media persons, Mr Afridi said that it was strange that an elected CM was not being allowed to meet his party’s founding chairman despite court orders to the contrary.
He warned that both the federal and Punjab government leadership would face consequences once the PTI returned to power at the Centre.
Afridi said that efforts had been underway for the past three years to “minus Imran”, but all such attempts had failed. He added that the government and the “powers that be” should engage in talks with Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, as Imran had authorised them to represent him in negotiations.
Replying to a question about Faiz Hameed’s sentencing, Afridi said it was an “internal matter of the institution”.