KP Chief Minister Tells Court ‘PTI Founder Release Force’ Was Never Formed

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi has submitted a reply before the Federal Constitutional Court stating that the so-called “PTI Founder Release Force” was never formed and that the actual initiative is a peaceful, unarmed, and voluntary movement seeking the release of the PTI founder.

The eight-page response, submitted through the Advocate General, said there is no armed structure or private militia associated with the movement. It described the constitutional petition filed against it as politically motivated, based on misrepresentation, premature, hypothetical, and legally inadmissible.

The reply further stated that the petitioner had failed to establish any violation of fundamental rights.

The Chief Minister argued that the movement is protected under Articles 16, 17, and 19 of Pakistan’s Constitution, which guarantee the rights relating to peaceful assembly, association, and freedom of expression. He maintained that Article 256 of the Constitution has no relevance to the matter and that the Private Military Organizations Act, 1973, does not apply to the movement.

The response also rejected allegations that the movement poses a threat to public order and described comparisons with past armed organizations as misleading and unfounded.

Suhail Afridi requested the court to dismiss the constitutional petition at the preliminary stage and sought a declaration that the “PTI Founder Release Peace Movement” is constitutional and lawful.

The Federal Constitutional Court has scheduled the hearing of the petition against the alleged “PTI Founder Release Force” for July 29.