Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was prevented from meeting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on Thursday, marking the ninth time he was denied access.

Afridi, accompanied by other PTI leaders Shahid Khatak, provincial minister Shafqat Ayaz, and MPA Asim Khan, reached the Dahgal checkpoint near the prison but was stopped by police before entering the facility. The meeting window expired, forcing the delegation to return.

The PTI had submitted a list of six party leaders to the jail authorities for the meeting, including KP CM Afridi, MNA Shahid Khatak, provincial minister Shafqat Ayaz, MPA Asim Khan, Riaz Khan, and Arshad Ayub.

CM Afridi, Khatak, Provincial Minister for Information Shafi Jan, and other leaders reached Adiala Jail to meet the party founder but were stopped near the Dahgal checkpoint.

As the allotted meeting time expired, CM Afridi and the delegation were forced to return without gaining access.

Outside the jail, CM Afridi criticised the repeated denial.

“Today is the ninth time I have come. A chief minister of a province is repeatedly visiting, but even a five-minute meeting is not being allowed. The whole world is witnessing this discriminatory treatment. Their actions are being noted and will be remembered,” he said.

PTI also shared a video showing Afridi and his team waiting outside the jail, underscoring the repeated obstruction.

CM Afridi said he would update the media on the next steps, including whether a sit-in or other action would be staged.