Sohail Afridi whereabouts were raised on the floor of the National Assembly on Monday, when Leader of the Opposition Mahmood Khan Achakzai demanded that details be shared. Afridi, who has become non-functional as chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has not been seen since governor's rule and a state of emergency were imposed in the province on October 11. Governor's rule means a governor appointed from the centre runs the provincial administration in place of an elected chief minister.
Opposition demands answers on the floor
Achakzai reached the House some time after the session began and asked Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah for the floor. He said Afridi and “six to seven other MNAs” of the opposition party had been missing since the emergency and governor's rule were proclaimed, and that at least their families should know where they are. He told the House, “You have attacked the assembly of a province,” and called for production orders for the missing members, which are directions requiring a detained person to be produced before a forum.
On the day governor's rule was imposed, Afridi's whereabouts were unknown. A federal minister said a day later that he and some of his cabinet members were in preventive custody. The PTI has also alleged the detention and arrests of several of its other members, including lawmakers and ministers.
Adjournment motion and missing quorum
Amir Dogar, the opposition's chief whip in the National Assembly, submitted an adjournment motion seeking production orders for six PTI MNAs described as missing: Amjad Ali Khan (NA-02), Junaid Akbar (NA-09), Fazal Muhammad Khan (NA-25), Zubair Khan (NA-42), Haji Imtiaz Ahmad Choudhry (NA-68) and Nasim Ali Shah (NA-39). The motion, filed under Rules 109 and 110 of the National Assembly's rules of procedure, called the matter one of “definite and urgent public importance” and asked that regular business be set aside for discussion. Achakzai spoke of six to seven missing members, while the motion names six.
Proceedings began at 5pm with federal ministers absent and few members present. PPP MNA Agha Rafiullah criticised the government for what he called a lack of interest in legislation, saying, “not a single federal minister has turned up.” Dogar then pointed out that quorum was lacking, and the deputy speaker stopped proceedings to give members time to return. Quorum, which needs at least 65 members, was confirmed after two counts, and the House resumed before being adjourned until Tuesday morning.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- October 11: Governor's rule and emergency are imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Afridi's whereabouts become unknown the same day.
- October 12: A federal minister says Afridi and some cabinet members are in preventive custody.
- Monday: Achakzai demands details in the National Assembly, and the opposition submits an adjournment motion for six missing PTI MNAs.
- Monday: The House is adjourned until Tuesday morning after a quorum delay.
What happens next
The House is due to meet again on Tuesday morning. The two accounts differ: the opposition says Afridi is missing, while the federal minister placed him in preventive custody. Until an official account of Sohail Afridi whereabouts is given, the questions raised by the opposition remain unanswered.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Sohail Afridi, jo Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ke chief minister ke tor par kaam nahin kar rahe, 11 October se nazar nahin aaye aur unki location ka pata nahin. Mehmood Khan Achakzai ne National Assembly mein maang ki ke unki aur dusre MNAs ki maloomat di jaye. Ek federal minister ne kaha ke Afridi aur kuch cabinet members preventive custody mein hain, jabke opposition unhein lapata keh rahi hai. Aam shehri ke liye iska seedha asar qeematon ya bills par nahin, lekin ye sawal jamhoori haqooq se juda hai.
