- CM Afridi says he will meet Field Marshal Asim Munir.
- Calls for the supremacy of the Constitution and law.
- Admits to using inappropriate language in Lahore.
In a positive development, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has said he is ready to hold talks with the establishment on provincial matters and improve relations, adding that policies should be framed in line with the public interest.
Speaking to journalists in Peshawar on Friday, the provincial chief executive said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan had not instructed him on anything regarding talks with the establishment.
At the same time, he clarified that the former prime minister had assigned the task to Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.
He said that if any ceremony or meeting takes place, he would definitely meet Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
Afridi said there should be supremacy of the Constitution and the law in the country, adding that for talks regarding Imran Khan’s release, the conditions and environment should be conducive.
He said it is legitimate for the PTI founder’s sisters to come out and campaign for their brother’s release, adding that their purpose in going to Karachi is to mobilise the public for the PTI founder’s release.
The chief minister also admitted that during his visit to Lahore, he used inappropriate language, but said it was a reaction to an action, adding that he had apologised for using such language during the visit.
On Friday, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, speaking on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’, said it was impossible for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to table a dialogue offer to the PTI without first consulting Nawaz Sharif or the establishment.
He also expressed doubts about the success of any talks, saying dialogue would fail unless the PTI founder supports it, and cited Imran’s sister Aleema Khan as saying anyone holding talks would not be from the party.
Earlier this week, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan recommended legal action over the chaos that erupted during the arrival of CM Afridi at the provincial legislature’s building.
He said a committee report found individuals accompanying him entered the provincial assembly without proper authorisation and scuffled with security staff.
The report came a day after Afridi wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to protest alleged ill-treatment during his visit to the Punjab Assembly.
