- KP CM announced force to save his job: defence czar.
- Minister says only federal govt can create any force.
- Asif denies any talks about moving Imran to Bani Gala.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s job “was at risk”, saying his recently announced “Release Imran Khan Force” was unconstitutional and illegal.
“The KP chief minister announced the release force to save his job. Except for the federal government, no one has the right to create any force,” he told Geo News on Friday.
The defence minister clarified that there had never been any discussion about moving the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) abroad or to Bani Gala, Imran’s residence in Islamabad.
“Perhaps, approaches were made regarding facilities,” he said, adding, “some try to keep their shop open through such talk”.
The remarks from Asif follow CM Afridi’s announcement of the force to work towards the release of the former prime minister, imprisoned since August 2023.
The KP CM made the announcement on February 18 after lawmakers from the PTI and the multi-party opposition alliance Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Aiyeen Pakistan (TTAP) called off their days-long sit-in at Parliament House in Islamabad.
Addressing a press conference outside the Supreme Court, CM Afridi said that he had been assigned the responsibility of leading a “street movement” by the incarcerated PTI founder.
He alleged that court orders were being “thrown into the dustbin” and claimed that the PTI founding chairman is still being denied access to his personal doctors.
Announcing the formation of the force, the provincial chief executive said the force would be formally registered and would pursue a peaceful struggle. He added that members of the force would take an oath in Peshawar immediately after Eidul-Fitr.
The force, he further said, would have a clear chain of command and that Imran Khan would decide who would be given command responsibilities. He stressed that preparations would be completed before launching any struggle.
According to Afridi, the movement would be aimed at the supremacy of the Constitution, democracy and an independent media.
