'Pakistan On Verge Of Collapse Like 1971?': KP Chief Minister After Being Denied Access To Imran Khan | Exclusive

Last Updated:December 11, 2025, 18:18 IST

Sohail Afridi warned that the persistent and discriminatory denial of political access is pushing his constituents to a breaking point

Afridi aggressively questioned the legitimacy of denying a sitting constitutional provincial head access to his party leader. File image

The unprecedented restrictions placed on former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s access at Adiala Jail have escalated into a dramatic regional and constitutional crisis, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi issuing a series of dire warnings that evoked the fractured history of Pakistan.

Following his latest denial of entry to meet the PTI founder, CM Afridi, the head of one of Pakistan’s four provinces, made a pointed and emotionally charged analogy, asking whether Pakistan was “on the verge of collapse again like 1971". He drew a direct parallel between the past political alienation of Bengalis that led to the creation of Bangladesh and the current systemic marginalisation and frustration felt by the Pakhtun populace supporting the PTI in his province.

In a scathing public confrontation with the authorities barring his entry, CM Afridi repeatedly demanded to know, “Who is giving you orders to stop me?" He aggressively questioned the legitimacy of denying a sitting constitutional provincial head access to his party leader, arguing, “It’s my constitutional right to meet my leader Imran Khan or any prisoner."

The Chief Minister vehemently emphasised the identity of his province and his position: “I am Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and it’s Pakistan’s province. I am a Pakistan province CM, not of another country." He challenged the federal authorities’ actions, raising the critical question: “Is KP not part of Pakistan?"

Afridi warned that the persistent and discriminatory denial of political access is pushing his constituents to a breaking point. “Don’t push us to the wall and force us to take tough decisions. My people are angry," he cautioned. He claimed the decisions to prevent him from meeting Imran Khan would “harm and haunt Pakistan", fueling a dangerous atmosphere where “people are getting frustrated and hate is growing day by day in Pakistan".

In a final, urgent plea directed at the unseen power centres in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the KP Chief Minister urged the security officials to “go and ask your bosses; don’t do this; it’s harmful for Pakistan." He concluded with a severe warning that if the status quo continues, “no one can control [the] situation", underscoring the severity of the political and ethnic tensions being inflamed by the continued solitary confinement of the PTI founder.

News world 'Pakistan On Verge Of Collapse Like 1971?': KP Chief Minister After Being Denied Access To Imran Khan | Exclusive

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