Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Thursday secured protective bail from the Peshawar High Court (PHC), which also barred authorities from arresting him and directed them to submit details of all cases registered against him.
The decision came from a two-member PHC bench headed by Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Muhammad Naeem Anwar while hearing Afridi’s petition seeking protective bail and information on the cases filed in his name.
During the hearing, Justice Ijaz questioned the provincial advocate general about the specific First Information Reports (FIRs) in which Afridi had been nominated. The advocate general responded humorously, saying: “We ourselves do not know — maybe I am also nominated in some FIR.”
Speaking to reporters after the court proceedings, KP CM Sohail Afridi said he had not yet received any response to his request to meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, who is currently imprisoned in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
“The Centre should realize that the KP Chief Minister is coming to meet the PTI founder. No work will be done without his guidance,” Afridi remarked, emphasizing his loyalty to Khan and the PTI leadership.
Afridi, who took oath as the province’s chief executive a day earlier under Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, later left for Islamabad to discuss the formation of his provincial cabinet and other political matters with party leadership.
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His path to the chief minister’s office has not been without controversy. The transition followed a political tussle after Governor Kundi initially rejected the resignation of former CM Ali Amin Gandapur. However, under PHC’s directive, Afridi was sworn in, ending days of political uncertainty in the province.
A young and energetic PTI leader from Bara tehsil in Khyber district, Afridi previously served as the provincial minister for higher education. Known for his grassroots activism, he has been associated with PTI since his student days and is considered one of its most loyal and ideological figures.
Despite his smooth election, Afridi’s appointment drew criticism from the federal government, which accused PTI of maintaining leniency toward extremist groups. In response, Afridi has pledged to develop a strong counterterrorism strategy and ensure peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In his maiden address to the provincial assembly, the newly elected CM urged a review of Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy, stressing the need to engage local elders and representatives in shaping an effective response to terrorism.
Afridi’s statements and swift legal victory signal a new phase in PTI’s political strategy in the province, as he positions himself as a loyal yet assertive leader navigating complex political challenges.
