KP CM Sohail Afridi Meets Imran Khan in Adiala Jail Following IHC Order
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The Islamabad High Court has directed Adiala Jail authorities to permit Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, to meet the party’s jailed founder Imran Khan for policy consultations and cabinet planning.
Introduction
In a significant legal and political development, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the superintendent of Adiala Jail to facilitate meetings between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and the party’s imprisoned founder, Imran Khan.
The ruling follows a petition filed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and other senior PTI members who sought permission to meet their party leader to discuss policy matters and cabinet formation in the newly elected provincial government.
On Thursday, Afridi reached Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi after the IHC issued its directives, reaffirming Khan’s right to consult his political colleagues in line with standard operating procedures (SOPs) approved earlier this year.
Court’s Directive: Upholding Access Under SOPs
The IHC’s March 24 Decision
According to court documents, the IHC had already issued a decision on March 24, permitting Imran Khan to meet party leaders, family members, and legal counsel on Tuesdays and Thursdays, in accordance with jail rules and established SOPs.
However, PTI leaders had complained that the Adiala Jail administration had been restricting their access, allegedly citing “security concerns.” This prompted them to approach the court again for enforcement of the previous order.
Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, while hearing the petition, directed the jail superintendent to implement the March 24 ruling in letter and spirit. The court stressed that political consultation was a fundamental right for any political party leader, even if incarcerated.
“The superintendent is directed to ensure that meetings are facilitated on the specified days as per the court’s earlier directives,” the order read.
Afridi’s Visit: Political Significance Beyond Routine
Coordination Between PTI’s Central and Provincial Leadership
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s visit marks his first official meeting with Imran Khan since assuming office in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the February 2024 general elections.
Party sources said Afridi’s agenda included discussions on provincial cabinet appointments, development priorities, and coordination with the PTI central leadership.
Accompanying Afridi were senior PTI members, including Senator Shibli Faraz and Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who have also been seeking regular consultations with Khan amid the party’s ongoing internal restructuring.
Afridi’s presence in Adiala is being viewed as a symbolic reaffirmation of loyalty and an attempt to demonstrate PTI’s continued unity and centralised command under Imran Khan’s leadership, even while he remains behind bars.
Background: Imran Khan’s Incarceration and PTI’s Legal Struggles
A Year of Trials and Appeals
Imran Khan has been imprisoned at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, since August 2023, facing multiple cases related to alleged corruption, state secrets, and political unrest. Despite his detention, the PTI founder continues to influence party decisions through his legal team and visiting politicians.
Khan’s imprisonment came amid a wider crackdown on PTI following protests against his removal from office in 2022. The party has since faced mass arrests, legal challenges, and restrictions on rallies, but continues to maintain a strong political base, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
The Importance of Policy Consultation
For PTI, Khan’s direct involvement in decision-making remains crucial. The party argues that as its founder and ideological leader, his input on governance strategy, appointments, and negotiations with the federal government is indispensable.
“We don’t take any major decision without consulting the chairman,” said a senior PTI official. “His vision guides our governance model in KP and beyond.”
Inside Adiala: Restrictions and Access Issues
Meetings Under Tight Security
Adiala Jail is one of Pakistan’s most heavily guarded prisons, housing several high-profile political figures and former government officials. Since Imran Khan’s incarceration, the jail administration has imposed strict visitation protocols.
While family and legal counsel visits are generally permitted, political meetings often require court authorization. Authorities cite security risks, given the large number of visitors requesting access and the sensitivity of Khan’s political influence.
The IHC’s order seeks to clarify and enforce the boundaries of these permissions — ensuring that political meetings occur under official supervision while respecting Khan’s rights as a political leader.
Jail SOPs and Political Rights
Under Pakistan’s Prison Rules, inmates retain certain civil rights, including access to legal representation and limited political communication. The IHC’s latest directive reinforces this framework, ensuring transparency, security, and accountability in such meetings.
“This order restores a balance between maintaining prison discipline and protecting constitutional rights,” noted a former judge commenting on the case.
PTI’s Legal Team Reacts
“A Victory for Rule of Law”
PTI’s legal representatives hailed the IHC decision as a vindication of their leader’s constitutional rights.
Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, PTI’s chairman, told reporters outside the court:
“This is a victory for justice. The Islamabad High Court has reaffirmed that no authority can deprive our party of its right to consultation with our founder.”
Party lawyers said they would submit a list of designated visitors to the jail authorities to ensure smooth scheduling of meetings in line with the court’s order.
They also emphasized that these meetings would be strictly political and administrative, focused on governance matters rather than public rallies or media communication.
Reactions from Political Circles
Government Response
Federal government officials downplayed the development, calling it a routine judicial matter. A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry said the government respected court orders and had “no intention to obstruct lawful meetings.”
“The court has given a clear framework. It’s our responsibility to ensure security while implementing its directives,” the spokesperson said.
However, sources within the federal coalition privately expressed concern that Khan’s continued influence from prison could destabilize interprovincial relations and undermine federal policy coordination.
Opposition and Analysts’ Views
Political analysts described the court order as a “small but significant win” for PTI.
“It reinforces Khan’s relevance as a national political player,” said Dr. Hassan Askari Rizvi, a Lahore-based political analyst. “The optics of a sitting chief minister meeting a jailed party leader convey a message of defiance and cohesion.”
Opposition parties, however, accused PTI of “politicizing the judiciary,” claiming the party uses court rulings to maintain its media visibility.
PTI’s Focus: KP Governance and Future Strategy
Forming the Cabinet
According to sources familiar with the discussions, Afridi’s meeting with Khan centered around finalizing the KP cabinet, setting priorities for education, health, and infrastructure, and defining the province’s stance on federal fiscal negotiations.
Imran Khan reportedly advised his party to “govern effectively and focus on delivery,” urging the KP leadership to model transparent, corruption-free governance as an example for the rest of the country.
Strengthening PTI’s Political Core
Afridi’s visit also signals PTI’s broader strategy to reconnect the central and provincial leadership after months of legal turmoil. With Khan behind bars, PTI has relied on a small circle of confidants and legal aides to relay messages — a structure critics describe as unsustainable.
The renewed court-approved access could revitalize PTI’s internal communication, ensuring clearer direction from the top.
Symbolism and Political Optics
For many observers, the image of Chief Minister Afridi entering Adiala Jail is more than a procedural follow-up to a court order — it’s a political statement.
It reinforces PTI’s long-standing narrative of “resistance under repression”, portraying Khan as a victim of political persecution and the party as steadfastly loyal.
“The optics are powerful,” said political journalist Amber Rahim Shamsi. “It shows Khan is still commanding from confinement — a narrative that resonates deeply with his voter base.”
At the same time, critics argue that such visits risk blurring the line between judicial compliance and political theatre, warning that repeated court interventions could set a precedent for politicized jail management.
The Road Ahead
Legal and Political Uncertainty
While the IHC ruling provides short-term relief, Imran Khan’s legal future remains uncertain. Multiple cases continue in various courts, and PTI leaders are preparing for a prolonged legal and political battle.
For the KP government, maintaining stability while balancing central party directives will be crucial. Afridi’s leadership will be tested in governance delivery, law and order, and fiscal management, particularly as the province seeks greater autonomy under PTI rule.
A Step Toward Political Normalization?
Some analysts see the IHC’s intervention as a step toward normalizing political engagement between the state and the opposition. By reaffirming Khan’s rights within the legal framework, the court may be signalling a softening of hardline approaches that characterized 2023.
Still, tensions between the federal government and PTI remain high, with little sign of full reconciliation. The court’s insistence on rule-based dialogue, however, could mark a path toward gradual de-escalation.
Conclusion
The Islamabad High Court’s order allowing KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and other PTI leaders to meet Imran Khan underscores the complex intersection of law, politics, and leadership in Pakistan’s democracy.
Beyond its immediate implications, the decision reaffirms judicial oversight as a balancing force amid political polarization. For PTI, it offers both a legal victory and a chance to strengthen organizational unity.
Whether this marks the beginning of political normalization or just another temporary reprieve remains to be seen. But one thing is clear — Imran Khan’s influence continues to shape Pakistani politics, even from behind the walls of Adiala Jail.
