PESHAWAR (MNN); Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Sunday made it clear that his sole position is to act strictly in line with the directives of PTI founder Imran Khan, both in running the provincial administration and in preparing for the party’s street movement.
Afridi dismissed reports attributing other political stances to him, saying such claims were based on personal assumptions rather than facts. In a message posted on social media platform X, the chief minister stated that Imran Khan had instructed him to manage provincial affairs while simultaneously making preparations for a public movement, and that he would carry out these instructions in full spirit.
Earlier, Afridi had announced Karachi as his next destination after completing a three-day visit to Lahore, where he met families of senior PTI leaders currently in jail. Clarifying his Karachi visit, the KP chief minister said Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had invited him for a meeting, respecting democratic norms and the dignity of his office.
Afridi said he thanked Murad Ali Shah for the invitation and conveyed that he would first meet people from his own province, adding that if any concerns or issues arose, he would certainly meet the Sindh chief minister to address them.
While an earlier plan mentioned January 9 for the Karachi visit, Afridi said on Sunday that he would visit Mazar-i-Quaid at around 4pm on January 11.
His latest remarks come amid reports suggesting he was willing to hold talks with the establishment to improve relations on provincial matters. Addressing journalists in Peshawar on Friday, Afridi said Imran Khan had not given him any instructions regarding negotiations with the establishment, noting that this responsibility had been assigned to Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Senator Allama Raja Nasir.
However, he said that if any official ceremony or meeting took place, he would meet the Chief of Defence Forces and the Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
During his Lahore visit, Afridi had also questioned the government’s seriousness in holding talks with PTI and said he was actively reaching out to various stakeholders to mobilise support for the party’s street movement. He added that Imran Khan had entrusted decisions regarding dialogue or protest to the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan.
