Speaking to reporters after meeting Imran Khan in Adiala Jail, the PTI founder’s sisters said he had “advised the chief minister to form a cabinet of his own choice but keep it small”.
They added that Imran had instructed party leaders to move the high courts and the Supreme Court against the restrictions on meeting him. “These directions will be conveyed to Salman Akram Raja,” they said.
Uzma Khan said she had briefed Imran about the K-P rally, which made him “very happy”.
“We told him that everyone was demanding a long march, and he laughed,” she said. Uzma added that Imran had not nominated anyone for the cabinet, giving full discretion to the chief minister. “He has said clearly that he proposed no names as the choice rests with the CM.”
She further said Imran had sent a message to Salman Akram Raja, stating that future party communications would be routed through him.
Moreover, Imran expressed concerns over the delay in issuing notifications for Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas’ appointments for the slots of Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and Senate, respectively.
She said the PTI founder had instructed party lawyers to “immediately file contempt petitions and not leave the high court without securing a hearing date”.
Meanwhile, sources said the PTI’s parliamentary committee, chaired by Chief Minister Sohaib Afridi at the CM House in Peshawar, had agreed to form a cabinet of eight to ten members after the upcoming Senate elections.
Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and several MPAs attended the meeting, which finalised the party’s strategy for the October 30 Senate polls.
According to insiders, Afridi had tried three times to meet Imran but was denied permission. “Now that the green signal has been given, the cabinet will be formed after the Senate elections,” a party source said. The delay was aimed at avoiding discontent among members during the polls, they added.
Later, CM Sohail Afridi announced that he would file a contempt of court petition over the denial of his meeting with Imran Khan despite court orders. Speaking to reporters, Afridi said the decision was taken as orders of three judges have been violated.
“Our leader’s cases are not being heard in the Supreme Court. We urge the judiciary to uphold the rule of law. Our lawyers stand with you.”
He said there was “no justice in Pakistan” and that verdicts were being issued “at someone’s behest”.
“The day justice is done, Imran Khan will walk free,” Afridi hoped, adding that judges themselves had admitted interference in their decisions. “If judges are being held hostage, let the people know so we can free them,” he added.
Afridi said the denial of his meeting with the incarcerated party supremo did not mean he was out of contact. “My not meeting the founder doesn’t mean I’m not receiving his messages,” he said.
When a journalist asked why the cabinet had not yet been formed if communication existed, Afridi replied: “The real question is, why am I being prevented from meeting him when I hold the people’s mandate?”