PESHAWAR; Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider on Friday supported Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s right to meet incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, saying there was “no reason” to deny a meeting that had already been permitted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Speaking at a joint press conference in Peshawar alongside KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, Haider said, “Pakistan is a democracy, and political figures should be treated politically. The court has allowed the meeting, and if there’s no legal obstacle, it should certainly take place.”
Haider added that several prisoners received visitors daily at the Adiala jail. “If Sohail Afridi meets the PTI founder, the sky won’t fall. Stopping him will only make someone a hero unnecessarily,” he remarked.
The governor emphasized that as a representative of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), he believed in democratic values and opposed any undemocratic restrictions. “We have always stood for democracy. There’s no harm to the country if this meeting happens,” he said.
Responding to a question about his working relationship with the KP CM, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said Afridi was currently busy forming his cabinet and had gone to meet his party founder in Rawalpindi. “Once his cabinet is finalized, he will move forward,” he noted.
Kundi suggested that the provincial leadership form a “parliamentary jirga” to engage the federal government through political dialogue. “We should raise our issues with logic and through proper forums such as the Council of Common Interests and the National Finance Commission,” he said.
He assured that the Governor House “will act as a bridge, not a barrier,” and that all matters should be resolved politically for the peace and progress of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Meanwhile, KP CM Afridi has been denied a meeting with Imran Khan twice since assuming office on October 16. Despite the IHC order reinstating the twice-a-week meeting schedule, prison authorities refused to allow the visit.
Afridi, who replaced Ali Amin Gandapur as CM following Imran’s direction, said his visit was “purely constitutional” and intended to seek guidance from the PTI founder on cabinet formation and provincial policy.
After being stopped by police near Adiala Jail on Thursday, Afridi and PTI leaders briefly staged a protest before leaving. He reiterated that it was the IHC’s responsibility to ensure implementation of its orders, adding that his attempt to meet Imran was in line with democratic principles.
