PESHAWAR - Aleema Khan, sister of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, on Tuesday stated that the only acceptable deal would be the restoration of an independent judiciary and the holding of free and fair elections in the country, as authorities once again denied her a meeting with her brother. Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail, Aleema said it was their constitutional right to meet Imran. She vowed to continue visiting Adiala, asserting it was the only way to exert pressure on the powers that be.
Family and Party Efforts
“The family of Imran and party leaders will continue efforts for an independent judiciary and a free media,” she said. Replying to a question regarding rumours of a meeting between the PTI founder and a former military chief, she rejected such claims, terming them politically motivated. “No such meeting has taken place, and such rumours are circulated whenever political temperatures rise.”
CM Demands Meeting
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Tuesday demanded that he and his Adviser for Finance be allowed to meet former Prime Minister Imran Khan in jail. He argued that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had entrusted their mandate to Imran Khan and that the provincial government was operating on the basis of that public trust and political mandate. He maintained that, in light of this reality, it was both appropriate and necessary for the budget proposals for the upcoming fiscal year to be shared with Imran Khan and for his input to be obtained prior to the finalization of the provincial budget.
Legal Action and Warnings
The CM further announced that a petition would be filed before the Islamabad High Court seeking permission for the meeting. Speaking to media representatives outside Adiala Jail, Muhammad Sohail Afridi warned that continued efforts to deny access to Imran Khan and further restrictions on PTI’s political leadership would have serious political consequences. He stated that if such measures persisted, PTI parliamentarians from across the country would stage a sit-in outside the National Assembly on June 10. He further asserted that, under those circumstances, the party would resist the passage of the federal budget as well.
Concerns Over Imran's Health
The CM maintained that Imran Khan continues to be held in prolonged solitary confinement and isolation. He called for Imran Khan to receive medical treatment at Shifa International Hospital under the supervision of his personal physicians and in the presence of his family members. He emphasized that the demand was neither unconstitutional nor unlawful, asserting that access to appropriate medical care is a fundamental right. The CM expressed serious concern over the continued denial of access to Imran Khan by his family members and party leadership. He stated that preventing family, party representatives, and personal physicians from meeting Imran Khan raises legitimate concerns and creates the impression that there are attempts to cause him harm.
Imran's Leadership and Mandate
He further reiterated that Imran Khan remains the undisputed leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and stated that the government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa derives its mandate and legitimacy from his leadership. He remarked that if Imran Khan were to decide that a particular individual should no longer serve as Chief Minister, that individual would cease to hold the office.
Criticism of Federal Government
Commenting on the performance of the federal government, Muhammad Sohail Afridi said that the federal administration had failed to meet its revenue and taxation targets. He argued that, as a consequence of policy failures, Pakistan’s public debt had increased from approximately Rs. 43 trillion to Rs. 97 trillion over the past four years. He further stated that while the federal government may succeed in securing parliamentary approval for the upcoming budget, its economic burden would ultimately be borne by ordinary citizens. He pointed to rising unemployment, industrial decline, shrinking business activity, and persistent inflation as evidence of worsening economic conditions.
Provincial Budget and Vision
The CM also criticised the federal government’s policy direction, stating that it lacked both an effective internal governance framework and a coherent foreign policy approach. Referring to the upcoming provincial budget, he stated that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cabinet had approved the budget proposals and that the provincial budget would be balanced, people-centric, and aligned with key development priorities. He noted that special emphasis had been placed on health, education, environmental sustainability, and agriculture. He added that the provincial government remained committed to investing in human development in accordance with Imran Khan’s vision.
Gilgit Baltistan Elections and Public Support
Muhammad Sohail Afridi further stated that the forthcoming federal budget would amount to an economic shock for the public and would place additional financial pressures on citizens already facing significant economic hardship. Commenting on the forthcoming Gilgit Baltistan elections, the Chief Minister said that public support overwhelmingly remained with Imran Khan and that no other political figure could command a comparable mandate. He maintained that the growing public mobilization across Gilgit Baltistan had unsettled those currently in power and clarified that genuinely free, fair, and transparent elections would clearly reflect the will of the people.
Allegations and Public Sentiment
He also criticized the government’s handling of political dissent, referring to incidents in which PTI workers and supporters were killed, including during the events of 26 November and in Muridke. He alleged that individuals responsible for misgoverning and looting the country had been imposed upon the public and had become a burden on the state. The Chief Minister maintained that public dissatisfaction extends not only to those currently governing but also to those who facilitated their rise to power. Muhammad Sohail Afridi stated that despite being imprisoned, Imran Khan continues to command unparalleled public support across Pakistan and remains the country’s most influential political figure.
