ISLAMABAD:
Lahore is back on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s radar, as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi plans a return to the province in a bid to revive the party’s flagging political presence.
The proposed visit, following a planned trip to Kashmir on April 25 to mark the PTI’s founding day, is scheduled for May 1 and is part of a broader effort by the party to support mobilization in all provinces.
The move by Lahore marks Afridi’s second attempt in five months to activate the party in the politically critical province, after a previous visit in December 2025 was met with administrative resistance, including restrictions on public engagements.
Afridi said he would first visit Kashmir on April 25, on the occasion of PTI’s foundation day, followed by a visit to Lahore on May 1.
The announcement comes as the PTI continues to promote its protest narrative despite past reluctance in Punjab, where the party’s activities face operational and administrative constraints.
Within the party, the decision is part of a broader political struggle aimed at maintaining momentum in the regions.
However, PTI provincial leaders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa appeared less aligned with the plan.
PTI KP President Junaid Akbar said he was not aware of any concrete plans regarding the proposed trip to Lahore, adding that he remained focused on organizational responsibilities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the recent Mardan rally.
Junaid Akbar said the visit to Lahore was part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s plan, adding that he would be ready to take up any role assigned by the party leadership in this regard.
On the other hand, PTI Central Deputy Secretary for Information Shaukat Yousafzai defended the move, saying the aim of the visit to Lahore was to mobilize.
He stressed that the party should be allowed to carry out political activities freely, emphasizing that Lahore is part of Pakistan.
He reiterated that the PTI remains committed to its political struggle despite persistent challenges.
On the broader front of coordination, Imran Khan requested that decisions related to street movement or any political issue be taken in consultation with Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas.
However, Shaukat Yousafzai said the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP) alliance would independently decide whether to participate in the movement, indicating divergent positions among stakeholders.
“No consultation”
Akhunzada Hussain Youafzai, spokesperson for the opposition grand alliance, told The Express PK Press Club on Monday that no consultation had taken place with the alliance regarding Afridi’s announcement.
He said consultation means being taken into confidence before a decision is made, adding that it cannot be called consultation if stakeholders are only informed after decisions are publicly announced.
When asked if they would be ready to visit Lahore if officially invited, he revealed that TTAP was already planning to visit Lahore on May 1 at the invitation of Ammar Ali Jan’s Haqooq-e-Khalq Party.
He said the alliance was not aware of Afridi’s specific plan for the date and wondered what the PTI’s actual agenda was.
He also indicated that the announcement could complicate arrangements for their own planned activity and said such announcements should ideally come from Barr Gohar, PTI president, rather than provincial leaders.
This development also highlights organizational constraints in Punjab, where the PTI provincial leadership remains largely inactive due to multiple arrests, limiting its ability to mobilize effectively in the province.
Commenting on the broader strategy, Ahmad Bilal Mehboob, president of the Pakistan Institute for Legislative Development and Transparency, said the PTI appears to be seeking political pressure through mobilization in the hope of securing relief for its leaders.
He said this approach could prove counterproductive, stressing that the Punjab government is unlikely to allow large-scale mobilization.
He added that while creating political space is a legitimate objective, it must be pursued through non-confrontational means.
Mehboob further observed that recent national and regional developments had reduced PTI’s visibility in the daily news cycle, and renewed mobilization efforts could also be aimed at bringing the party back into the political headlines.
