Referring to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi's act to meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in Adiala Jail, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said no chief minister or minister could demand that a meeting with a prisoner be arranged.Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, Talal Chaudhry said the country was facing a serious terrorism challenge and that Islamabad and Rawalpindi remained under a security alert.  

To curb potential threats, Section 144 had been imposed in both cities, and he warned that any violation would result in action. Referring to the PTI leadership, Talal Chaudhry accused the party of engaging in violence and later denying responsibility, citing the events of May 9.  He said the party’s elected representatives were also bound to obey the law and that enforcement of Section 144 would be carried out without discrimination if violated. 

Talal added that the Peshawar High Court (PHC) had explicitly forbidden the use of government resources for protests or political mobilisation, yet those repeatedly travelling to Islamabad and Rawalpindi were utilising state resources.  The state minister expressed hope that the KP chief minister would not deploy public funds for political purposes, warning that any misuse would trigger legal action in accordance with court rulings. 

He further cautioned that government employees attempting a march on Islamabad would face proceedings and that cases would be filed against officers participating in such demonstrations if state machinery or police were used.  Talal Chaudhry asserted that the ongoing fight against terrorism would soon be brought to a successful close, adding that the government was working on a mechanism to regulate social media, which he said militants access through VPNs. 

A day earlier, the minister had told reporters at Parliament House that the government had no intention of imposing governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but the federation was duty-bound to fulfil its responsibilities.  He warned KP Chief Minister Afridi not to push matters to that point and urged him to focus on his constitutional obligations rather than political rhetoric.  Talal Chaudhry said the federal government had made efforts to include all stakeholders in consultations but lamented that the KP chief minister continued to attack the federation even on matters concerning national security.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)