KP CM announces ‘Imran Khan Release Force’ for ex-PM’s freedom

SC adjourns PTI’s founder’s Toshakhana, cipher, defamation cases indefinitely

ISLAMABAD: The chief minister of KhyberPakhtunkhwa, SohailAfridi, on Wednesday announced the formation of the “Imran Khan Release Force” to campaign for the release of jailed PTI founder, saying a public movement had become “unavoidable after persistent violations of court directives”.

“The Free Imran Khan Force will wage a completely peaceful struggle. After his release, Imran Khan will himself dissolve the force,” Afridi said while speaking to reporters outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

He said membership cards would be ready within four to five days and youth from Peshawar would take oaths after EidulFitr. Responsibility for managing protests and negotiations had been assigned to Senate opposition leader Raja Nasir Abbas and National Assembly opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai, adding that Khan had delegated to them the task of preparing a street movement.

Afridi said the force would include members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the Insaf Students Federation and the party’s women’s wing. He said it would be formally registered, operate under a clear chain of command and begin activities only after preparations were complete.

According to Afridi, the initiative aims to ensure constitutional supremacy, strengthen democracy and safeguard an independent media.

Meanwhile, The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday heard three cases concerning former prime minister Imran Khan – an appeal in the Toshakhana case, the cipher case and a defamation case – and adjourned all proceedings indefinitely.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Hashim Khan Kakar conducted the hearing.

“The courtroom has limited space,” Justice Kakar said at the outset. “I can feel a shortage of oxygen in this room,” he remarked. “We will hear your cases in court number 2,” he told Khan’s lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar.

Leaders of the opposition alliance Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-Ayeen-e-Pakistan, who had been staging a sit-in in Islamabad, attended the proceedings.

Several political leaders and lawyers arrived at court, including opposition leaders Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister SohailAfridi, Noor-ul-HaqQadri and Barrister Ali Zafar.

Ahead of the hearing, Afridi met Khan’s sisters. They discussed his health, court matters and related challenges.

Furthermore, a government lawyer said Punjab authorities had decided to withdraw appeals against bail granted to Khan and BushraBibi. “The instructions I received were to withdraw appeals against bail,” counsel told the bench. The court dismissed the pleas. Staff Report