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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Friday criticised the government of the Punjab province in Pakistan for obstructing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activities during his visit to Lahore, alleging harassment of party leaders and workers by the provincial police, The Express Tribune reported.
The KP CM arrived in Lahore for a three-day visit and encountered several hurdles, including police restrictions on his convoy and temporary barriers at key locations. Speaking to the media, he said he encountered misbehaviour and disrespect from law enforcement and described the situation as "undemocratic" and akin to "martial law-like conditions," The Express Tribune reported. The KP chief minister alleged that hundreds of PTI workers were blocked from joining his convoy at Chakri and Bhera in Lahore. At the same time, police also restricted entry at the Punjab Assembly, allowing only pre-approved individuals. He claimed several party members were denied access and harassed during his engagements, including a visit to Liberty Roundabout, a symbolic PTI site in Lahore. Afridi maintained that his visit aimed at meeting PTI leaders and parliamentarians and conducting party activities, despite the restrictions. He criticised the PML-N-led provincial government in Punjab for creating friction between provinces and impeding political processes, The Express Tribune reported. "Such actions only increase hatred between provinces," he said, as quoted by The Express Tribune. During his address, Afridi also slammed the federal government over economic mismanagement, claiming industrial growth had declined, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was sold at undervalued rates, and millions of young Pakistanis were leaving the country in search of better opportunities, The Express Tribune reported. He labelled the ruling government as "fascist" and accused it of focusing solely on curbing PTI's political activities and preventing rallies for the party's chairman, Imran Khan. "Fascism and injustice was on full display in Punjab," he said, as quoted by The Express Tribune. Despite the obstacles, Afridi continued his planned schedule, including meetings with PTI parliamentarians and visits to the residences of party leaders, stressing that he would remain in Lahore until Sunday to pursue political engagements. The K-P chief minister's visit comes amid heightened political tensions in Punjab, with PTI workers reportedly rounded up and kept away from key sites to prevent large gatherings. (ANI)
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