Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s adviser Rana Sanaullah launched a sharp attack on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi, saying that Afridi should start a hunger strike outside Adiala Jail and “continue it until he dies in love with Imran Khan.”
Speaking on a TV programme, Rana said, “The PTI founder should get permission to meet people, but after a three hour meeting there should not be a one and a half hour press conference.”
He added, “No one should talk about attacks, arson or a march on Islamabad. No law allows anyone to run a movement from inside a jail. No one has permission to meet the PTI founder and then hold hours long press talks outside.”
Rana Sanaullah said the court that allowed the meeting also set a clear limit.
He said, “The court order had two parts: allow the meeting and do not do politics. When Nawaz Sharif went to London, did he break out of jail? The cabinet allowed him to travel.”
He said the government does not feel threatened by Imran Khan. “We fear no one. The PTI founder should meet people under the law.” He claimed intelligence reports warned that PTI supporters had planned protests on November 26, similar to the violent ones held the previous year.
Rana Sanaullah criticised the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and said, “The KP chief minister should start a hunger strike outside Adiala. He should continue the hunger strike until he dies in love for the PTI founder.”
Meanwhile, KP adviser on information Shafi Jan responded and said Rana Sanaullah himself admitted that meetings with the PTI founder should take place.
“They fear Imran Khan. Recent health reports about him were alarming. We have serious concerns about his health,” he stated.
He observed that the Islamabad High Court ordered a meeting between the PTI founder and the KP chief minister. “Our entire leadership waited outside Adiala. KP chief minister wanted to meet the chief justice but he refused.”
Shafi Jan also accused federal authorities of violence.
He said, “As soon as we leave KP’s border, they attack us. The government does not have the courage to bring Imran Khan to court. He has become a symbol of fear for them. We held a symbolic sit in on Adiala Road. We do not need a meeting to protest. Ali Amin was supposed to be changed and we already received the message.”
Earlier, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi threatened to block parliamentary proceedings if authorities did not arrange a meeting with the PTI founder.
He also announced a protest outside the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday.