PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday barred authorities from arresting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi in any case.
According to details, a divisional bench of the Peshawar High Court comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Naeem Anwar heard the protective bail plea filed by the newly elected Chief Minister.
Sohail Afridi had approached the court today to seek protective bail to enable him to visit Adiala Jail and meet his party’s founding chairman, Imran Khan. He had requested the court to hear the case today.
During the hearing, Justice Ijaz Anwar asked the Advocate General how many cases had been registered against the petitioner. The Advocate General replied that he did not know the exact number of FIRs lodged against Sohail Afridi, adding humorously that there might even be FIRs against him as well.
Later, the court granted protective bail to the Chief Minister and restrained authorities from arresting him in any registered case. The bench also sought a report from the federal government regarding all cases filed against Sohail Afridi.
Sohail Afridi, who takes charge of his office on Thursday, is expected to have an important meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in Adiala Jail today. This will be the first direct meeting of CM Afridi with Imran Khan after taking oath, administered by the KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on the directives of the Peshawar High Court.
In this regard, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has also sent an official letter to the Federal Ministry of Interior and the Punjab government, in which necessary security and administrative measures have been directed for the meeting.
The letter issued by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home Department has been received by the Federal Secretary of Interior and the Secretary of Interior of Punjab.
According to sources, detailed consultations will be held on provincial matters, the current political situation and the organizational affairs of the party in the expected meeting.
