The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Wednesday directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to respond within 10 days to a petition seeking to prevent the mobilisation or activation of a “release force” for jailed PTI founder Imran Khan.
Headed by FCC Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan, a three-judge bench also issued notices to respondents in the petition, namely the KP government, the PTI, the federal government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The proposed force was announced by CM Afridi in February after a days-long protest to secure a meeting with Imran failed to budge the government. It aims to continue the party’s struggle for the release of its founder, who has been imprisoned in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail since Aug 5, 2023.
In the petition filed before the FCC, Advocate Ali Nawaz Kharal has contended that he was filing the plea in the public interest and seeking the court’s intervention to prevent the formation or mobilisation of any private force or militia in violation of the Constitution. The petition had also sought to stay the formation of such a force.
During the hearing on Wednesday, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi inquired whether the provincial cabinet had granted permission for the formation of such a force. The counsel, however, responded in the negative.
The court asked the federal government to ensure that the law was not violated and that the public at large was protected.
When announced, the proposal had divided the PTI and caused concerns among the party leaders, who questioned the rationale for the force.