PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Thursday resented the “ill treatment” of elected public representatives in Islamabad on Tuesday, warning the act will foster hatred.

“The purpose of the public representatives going to Islamabad was to raise voice for the medical treatment of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf founder Imran Khan in the best hospital by his personal physicians in presence of his family but the illegitimate federal government is responding to the voice of the people and parliamentarians with bullets,” Mr Afridi told a meeting of the provincial cabinet here.

The CM said the way he and his cabinet members and elected public representatives were treated in Islamabad was condemnable.

He said that conduct was extremely “risky” for the country, according to an official statement.

Says the act will foster hatred

Mr Afridi said there was a possibility of the PTI forming the federal government in the future, so if ill treatment of the party continued, it could happen to other political parties as well.

He said the Constitution and the jail manual empowered every prisoner to seek treatment of his choice.

The CM demanded that Mr Imran’s medical treatment be ensured at the best hospital in presence of his family and that, too, under supervision of his personal physicians.

He, however, said that unfortunately, whenever the PTI demanded its leader’s treatment in presence of his personal physicians and family members, the illegitimate government resorted to violence.

Mr Afridi said that Mr Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi had nothing to do with politics but she had been imprisoned only to pressure her husband.

He said that the judiciary as well as national and international human rights organisations should play a role in protecting the PTI chief’s fundamental rights.

The CM said that a false narrative of corruption against the KP government was being propagated to mislead people.

He said that people should bring evidence of corruption to his secretariat. He directed all departments and ministers to ensure prompt legal action within three days over “baseless allegations”.

“If there is no corruption, no one has the right to make baseless allegations,” he said.

Mr Afridi directed the health department to look into the doctors’ allegations of wrongdoings and place the findings along with supporting evidence before people.

Later, the cabinet approved the merger of the Malakand Levies with KP police and decided that its committee would make recommendations on all financial, legal and administrative aspects of the move.

The cabinet members condemned the death of two schoolchildren in a drone attack in Bajaur tribal district.

Mr Afridi said that every possible assistance would be provided to the families of the martyred children.

The chief minister welcomed the new cabinet members.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2026