In a new political development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has authorized Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to independently form his provincial cabinet after being denied a meeting with him for the third time at Adiala Jail.
According to sources, Afridi had once again arrived in Rawalpindi on Tuesday to consult the jailed PTI founder regarding cabinet formation. However, despite court orders, jail authorities refused to allow the meeting.
Later, Imran Khan’s sister Uzma Khanum, who recently met her brother, conveyed his message to the chief minister, confirming that he has “full authority” to select his cabinet members. “Imran Khan has instructed that Sohail Afridi should form a compact team as per the needs of the province,” she told reporters outside Adiala Jail.
Opposition lawmakers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly have criticized the delay in forming the cabinet, saying that government affairs have come to a standstill. Some members even warned that prolonged delay could invite administrative intervention in the province.
Speaking to media outside Adiala Jail, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said he would file a contempt petition in the Islamabad High Court, claiming that meeting the PTI founder is his constitutional right. “Imran Khan nominated me as chief minister; I must consult him before finalizing cabinet appointments,” he said.
Meanwhile, Uzma Khanum also revealed that Imran Khan expressed concern over the delay in appointing Mahmood Khan Achakzai as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly. She clarified that PTI’s Secretary General Salman Akram Raja is the only authorized person to convey Imran Khan’s messages to avoid confusion.
Separately, PTI has sought clarification from the federal government regarding reports about possible deployment of Pakistani troops in Gaza, terming it a “sensitive national matter” that requires transparency and national consensus. The party urged the government to take parliament, political leadership, and the public into confidence on the issue.
