PROVINCE REPORT
PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi, addressing an important press conference at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad, said that the Supreme Court’s order issued by a three-member bench regarding the medical treatment of Imran Khan had been disregarded, describing the act as deeply regrettable and alarming. The Chief Minister said the judges had issued a clear and formal order that Imran Khan be provided medical treatment at Shifa International Hospital. However, he said, the government and administration didn’t implement the court’s order. He said the conduct of the government and administration was creating the perception that they considered themselves above the Constitution and the law, and that they had little regard for the orders of the judiciary. “The judges must now decide whether court orders are to be enforced or whether the courts are to be locked,” he said.Muhammad Sohail Afridi said that denying Imran Khan treatment at Shifa International Hospital amounted not merely to contempt of the order of three judges, but to a broader affront to the authority of the judiciary. He said the public continued to place its hopes in the judiciary. “If the judiciary cannot deliver justice and cannot ensure implementation of its own decisions, where will the people turn?” he asked. The Chief Minister said Imran Khan was Pakistan’s most popular political leader and that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was the country’s largest political party. He questioned how an ordinary Pakistani could see a future in a country where a leader with such widespread public support was being treated in this manner. He added that the ruling elite had abducted Imran Khan and imprisoned him, and was now creating the impression that it was beyond the reach of the Constitution and the law. He warned that if powerful individuals and institutions refused to comply with judicial orders, it could contribute to a situation in which citizens would increasingly feel compelled to take the law into their own hands. The Chief Minister reiterated that PTI would continue its political movement and that he would fully abide by Imran Khan’s directives. He said Imran Khan had instructed him to intensify the movement and that, the campaign would be pursued with greater momentum. Muhammad Sohail Afridi said he would visit Hangu today and Buner tomorrow, following which he would travel across Pakistan. He further said that PTI’s legal team would initiate legal proceedings in connection with the contempt of court. The Chief Minister said that even the government’s own report had not declared Imran Khan’s health to be satisfactory. He added that the judiciary and the public were being misled regarding Imran Khan’s health. He categorically stated that no PTI workers were present around the prison and that the party had issued no instructions for anyone to go there. He said he had already made it clear that anyone found around the prison would have no connection with PTI. The Chief Minister said the political movement would be intensified and would advance at a pace exceeding public expectations. “The pressure will now be doubled,” he said. He added that the initial target for the 27 September public gathering had been set at two million participants. However, following the recent incident, he said, an even larger number of people would turn out on 27 September.
