ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has issued a stern warning to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afreedi, declaring his position precarious after announcing the controversial ‘Release Imran Khan Force.’ Asif labeled the initiative unconstitutional and illegal, escalating tensions between the provincial leadership and the federal government.
Speaking to local media, Asif accused Afreedi of forming this force as a desperate bid to cling to power. ‘No entity other than the federal government has the authority to create any armed force,’ he asserted firmly. The minister’s remarks come amid ongoing political friction following PTI-backed protests in the capital.
Asif also dismissed rumors about relocating jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan abroad or to his Galla residence in Islamabad. ‘There might have been discussions about facilities, but nothing more,’ he clarified, brushing off speculations as attempts by some to keep their agendas alive.
The controversy ignited after Afreedi’s announcement on February 18, coinciding with the end of a multi-day sit-in by TTPAP lawmakers outside Parliament House. Addressing a press conference near the Supreme Court, Afreedi claimed Khan, incarcerated since August 2023, had tasked him with leading a ‘street movement’ for his release.
Afreedi alleged violations of court orders, including denying Khan access to his personal doctors. He vowed the new force would be formally registered, operate peacefully, and take oaths in Peshawar post-Eid-ul-Fitr. ‘It will follow a clear chain of command decided by Imran Khan himself,’ he stated, emphasizing preparations for a constitutional struggle advocating democracy and free media.
Khan has been held in Rawalpindi’s high-security Adiala Jail since his arrest in a corruption case last year. Asif’s warning signals deepening rifts within Pakistan’s volatile political landscape, with provincial defiance challenging federal authority head-on.