Pak Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warns KP CM over ‘Release Imran Khan Force’

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif criticised the KP Chief Minister’s proposed “Release Imran Khan Force,” calling it unconstitutional. The announcement follows opposition protests demanding the jailed former prime minister’s release, intensifying political tensions across the country.

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s position “was at risk”, describing his recently announced ‘Release Imran Khan Force’ as “unconstitutional and illegal”, local media reported.

“The KP Chief Minister announced the release force to save his job. Except for the federal government, no one has the right to create any force,” leading Pakistani media outlet Geo News quoted Asif as saying.

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The Defence Minister denied any discussion about transferring the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan abroad or to his residence in Bani Gala, Islamabad.

“Perhaps, approaches were made regarding facilities,” he said, stressing that “some try to keep their shop open through such talk”.

The remarks from Asif followed CM Afridi’s announcement of the force aimed at securing the release of the former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran, who had been imprisoned since August 2023.

The announcement came on February 18 after lawmakers from the PTI and the multi-party opposition alliance, Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Aiyeen Pakistan (TTAP), withdrew their days-long sit-in at Parliament House in Islamabad.

Addressing a press conference outside the Supreme Court, CM Afridi said that the jailed PTI founder had assigned him the responsibility of spearheading a “street movement”.

He alleged that court directives were being “thrown into the dustbin” and claimed that Imran continued to be denied access to his personal doctors, Geo News reported.

Afridi further stated that the newly established force would be formally registered and would adopt a peaceful struggle, adding that members of the force would take an oath in Peshawar following Eid al-Fitr.

The force, he said, would operate under a clear chain of command and that Imran would decide who would assume command responsibilities.

Afridi said that preparations would be wrapped up before launching the struggle, while asserting that the movement would advocate the supremacy of the Constitution, democracy and an independent media.

The former Pakistani PM Imran has been incarcerated since August 2023, when he was arrested at his Lahore residence after being convicted in a corruption case. He is currently lodged at the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.