CM Afridi questions ‘pressure on courts’ amid case delays
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• Seeks to meet Imran, IHC CJ but turned away
• Doubts govt itself has seen 27th Amendment draft
• PTI stages sit-in outside high court over case delays
ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Thursday sought meetings with the chief justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and with PTI’s party’s patron-in-chief Imran Khan but failed.
Speaking to journalists outside the IHC, he said he had wished to ask the chief justice who was “pressurising the courts”.
He complained that PTI cases were not being scheduled for hearings and said the party had a constitutional right to peaceful protest. “It is unfortunate that I am not allowed to meet Imran Khan despite the IHC orders,” he said.
The chief minister then travelled to Adiala Jail for the fifth time but was again denied a meeting.
“Every time I am told I cannot meet him,” he said, alleging that “some individuals have become stronger than institutions”.
Mr Afridi also expressed doubt that even the government representatives themselves have seen the draft of the 27th Amendment, which is expected to be tabled within days.
He also urged critics to apologise for allegations made against him and said those who opposed his nomination were now seeking to justify their stance.
Criticising military operations, Mr Afridi alleged that civilians have suffered disproportionate harm. “Do you know how painful a military operation is? I have picked dead bodies of my family,” he claimed and made allegations about the conduct of security personnel. “Even after that, we say the army and the country are ours,” he added.
He said he would oppose any policy adopted without the confidence of the KP government and its people. He stressed that people were brought from Afghanistan to the province even though KP residents did not support the settlement.
Protest outside IHC
Separately, PTI ticket-holders and lawmakers staged a protest outside the IHC on Thursday against alleged delays in fixing cases related to Imran Khan.
PTI Punjab Chief Organiser Aliya Hamza Malik said the “peaceful sit-in” would resume on Friday, adding that all PTI MNAs and MPAs from Punjab had been directed to gather at 1pm outside the court on the instructions of the former prime minister.
Throughout the morning, PTI legislators arrived at the court premises, chanted slogans and spoke to the media outside the main gate.
During Mr Afridi’s visit to the court, an incident occurred in which Sub-Inspector Nasir of Islamabad Police allegedly misbehaved with journalists and Senator Falak Naz Chitrali.
Witnesses said the officer first stopped media personnel from proceeding beyond the main gate and later prevented the senator from entering the Secretary to the Chief Justice’s office, where the chief minister had gone after completing biometric procedures.
According to reports, the officer told the senator she could not go inside. “How can you stop me? I am a senator,” she reportedly responded. The officer replied: “I am a duty officer.”
Senator Falak Naz expressed anger at the treatment and hinted at raising the matter in a Senate committee.
The KP chief minister remained seated in the Secretary to the Chief Justice’s office for some time but was unable to secure a date for the hearing of Imran Khan’s cases. He later left the premises after completing his biometric verification.
Strict security measures were in place in and around the high court. Police deployed additional personnel and placed barriers at entry points. Media representatives, particularly TV cameramen, were stopped outside the court’s gate and barred from entering due to what officials described as “security protocols”.
Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2025
