Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. Photo:X
LAHORE:
The PML-N-led Punjab government appeared to go all out to deny the PTI any political spectacle during Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s visit to Lahore, as his first day in the city was overshadowed by a series of worrying developments.
Lamenting the unpleasant events of his first day in the provincial capital, Afridi filed a complaint of ill-treatment by the Punjab police.
Responding to a question, he said he had encountered nothing but inappropriate behavior and disrespect in Punjab, but maintained that through his own conduct he would teach the Punjab government respect and good manners.
The KP Chief Minister arrived in Lahore on Friday for a three-day visit and despite obstacles, he continued his busy political agenda. He spent an eventful day in the provincial capital, visiting the residences of party leaders and holding meetings with parliamentarians and PTI officials in the Punjab Assembly.
At the end of the day, Afridi also visited the Freedom Roundabout, which remains a site of symbolic importance for the PTI, long considered the nerve center of its political activity in Lahore.
Anticipating the visit, the Punjab Police had already made arrangements to prevent PTI workers from reaching the area. Afridi and his delegation also faced what appeared to be a visibly hostile media presence at the Punjab Assembly, where the atmosphere suggested an attempt to cause a scene.
Earlier, the KP Chief Minister entered Lahore with a large convoy comprising over 60 vehicles spread across different points.
The convoy entered the town via Babu Sabu and headed towards Thokar Niaz Baig but was intercepted by police at Chakri, apparently to prevent it from gaining momentum.
Reacting to the situation, Afridi alleged that PTI workers were harassed at several places, including Chakri and Bhera, and prevented from joining the convoy.
He called the circumstances “undemocratic” and compared them to “martial law-like conditions.”
While entering Lahore, Afridi said his vehicles were stopped at various junctions in the city and accused the Punjab government of creating unnecessary friction between the provinces.
“Such actions only increase hatred between provinces,” he said, while adding that the people of Punjab nevertheless gave him a warm and enthusiastic welcome.
Addressing broader political issues, the KP chief minister dismissed claims that the PTI founder president posed a national threat, instead calling him a “symbol of national unity”.
He accused the ruling coalition of large-scale corruption and criticized the sale of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), saying it was sold at a price lower than the value of the luxury vehicles.
Later in the day, Afridi visited the residences of PTI leaders Nadeem Abbas Bara and lawyer Haider Majeed in Lahore. During these movements, police erected temporary barriers and intermittently stopped vehicles accompanying the convoy, causing several cars to separate from the main protocol.
At the Punjab Assembly, security officials restricted entry, allowing only people whose names were on pre-approved lists.
PTI general secretary Salman Akram Raja was initially arrested, but was later allowed entry, while Shaukat Basra was denied access altogether. These restrictions sparked heated exchanges between opposition members and assembly security personnel.
Inside the assembly, Opposition Leader Moeen Qureshi and several Opposition MLAs – including Farrukh Javed Moon, Brigadier (retd) Mushtaq, Imtiaz Sheikh, Nadia Kharral and Seemabia Tahir – received the KP Chief Minister.
Tensions later escalated into scuffles between security personnel accompanying the KP chief minister and security personnel of the Punjab Assembly, as a large number of people entered the premises, disrupting peace and order.
Addressing the media at the meeting, Afridi said he was in Lahore to meet party leaders and parliamentarians and would stay in the city till Sunday.
He said that not only did the police misbehave with him in Chakri, party leaders and workers were harassed and several of them were arrested and arrested.
“Fascism and injustice were on full display in Punjab,” he said, adding that the treatment meted out to PTI leaders during the visit reflected what the people of Punjab were facing “day in and day out” for the last three years.
Referring to a press conference given by security officials, Afridi said those who brought the PML-N to power on the promise of economic revival must now confront the economic reality of the country.
“Our GDP fell from 6.2 percent to less than 3 percent, debt multiplied, industrial growth was negative – in fact, industries were leaving Pakistan,” he said.
Referring to the Prime Minister’s speech, the KP Chief Minister said that “whoever promised to sell his clothes has sold PIA.” He claimed that 30 million young Pakistanis had already left the country for greener pastures, while another 30 million were desperately trying to leave.
“If today people had this opportunity, every embassy would have twenty million people queuing outside its door,” he said, adding that people were deeply worried about their security and finances.
“Fascist government”
He warned that those responsible for the current situation must understand that “decisions imposed behind closed doors have consequences”.
He further alleged that the sole aim of the “fascist government” was to crush the PTI – by preventing it from holding rallies and blocking meetings with its “president for life” Imran Khan.
The KP premier was also chased by a journalist upon his departure, who appeared to be seeking to stir up further drama.
It is pertinent to mention that according to municipal crime reporters, hundreds of PTI workers were arrested by the police before the arrival of the KP Chief Minister.
The police also reportedly strategically kept people away from Afridi so that his presence did not turn into a gathering.
