KP CM denies forming Imran release force

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has told the Federal Constitutional Court that no “PTI founder release force” was ever established,

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has told the Federal Constitutional Court that no “PTI founder release force” was ever established, describing the initiative instead as a peaceful movement for the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan.

Afridi submitted an eight-page response in the case through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advocate general. The response was filed after the Federal Constitutional Court sought his position on a petition challenging the alleged formation of the so-called release force.

In his response, the chief minister said the actual initiative was the Release Peace Movement, which he described as peaceful, unarmed and voluntary.

He maintained that the movement had no armed structure or military component.

Afridi further argued that the constitutional petition was politically motivated and based on misrepresentation of facts. He said the petition was premature, hypothetical and therefore not maintainable.

According to the chief minister, the petitioner had also failed to establish any violation of fundamental rights.

Afridi said the Release Peace Movement was protected under Articles 16, 17 and 19 of the Constitution. These provisions relate to freedom of assembly, freedom of association and freedom of speech and expression.

He also argued that Article 256 of the Constitution, which concerns private military organisations, had no relevance to the movement.

The KP chief minister maintained that the Private Military Organisations Act, 1973 was also not applicable to the Release Peace Movement.

He rejected allegations that the initiative posed a threat to public order. He described such claims as baseless and said comparisons between the movement and armed organisations of the past were misleading.

Afridi asked the court to dismiss the constitutional petition at the preliminary stage. He also requested the court to declare the Release Peace Movement constitutional and lawful.

The case comes amid political controversy over claims that the KP government or PTI supporters were preparing an organisation to campaign for Imran Khan’s release.

Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had previously criticised the KP government over the issue, alleging that it could establish a release force for the PTI founder while remaining silent against militants.

The Federal Constitutional Court has scheduled the next hearing of the petition for July 29.