LAHORE: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi took PTI street movement into the heart of Lahore on the second day of his visit, leading a convoy from Shah Jamal through Muslim Town toward Ichhra, as police and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers repeatedly clashed over how close supporters could get to him.
The outreach drew a sharp response from the Punjab government. Provincial Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari, in statements shared on social media platform X, accused Afridi of staging “another stunt” and claimed his so-called street movement had no public backing.
The convoy set off from the Shah Jamal residence of Akram Usman, president of PTI Lahore, and travelled along Canal Road before reaching the Muslim Town underpass on Ferozepur Road. Afridi had announced that the street rally movement would begin in the evening.
Before departing, Afridi met with PTI’s Punjab leadership, including MNAs and MPAs, to discuss plans concerning September 27. Several of these lawmakers joined the convoy, while supporters on motorcycles rode alongside his vehicle chanting slogans.
According to an on-ground account from the convoy, the first planned stop was Ichhra Bazaar and Ichhra Chowk, where Afridi met the public gathering and the media. Traffic on the opposite carriageway toward Muslim Town was halted as the convoy passed.
A large Punjab Police contingent escorted the convoy, with police vehicles positioned in front, behind and on both sides, as strict arrangements were made in view of security threats. Security had also been placed on high alert earlier at Akram Usman’s residence.
Markets, plazas and shops along the route on Ferozepur Road were closed on the instructions of police and the administration, according to the on-ground report. Shopkeepers stood outside lowered shutters, many recording videos and taking pictures as Afridi passed. A similar pattern had been seen a day earlier, when markets along his route were shut.
In Muslim Town, as a sizeable crowd gathered, Afridi stepped out of his vehicle and waved from its roof alongside party leaders, including the Opposition Leader. Supporters chanted “Imran Khan Zindabad” and took selfies with him. PTI figure Shafi Jan was also present.
The situation grew tense when police pushed party workers back. According to the on-ground report, police also beat some workers, prompting Afridi to climb down and question why supporters were being kept away and picked up. He later climbed the stairs of a nearby building to wave to the crowd.
Police officials maintained that their actions were driven by security concerns. They said allowing people to get too close could let a suspicious individual reach the Chief Minister and lead to an untoward incident. Afridi’s personal guards were also seen asking people to keep their distance.
Speaking to a companion travelling with the convoy, Afridi said he had come to Lahore to run a public outreach campaign and described how his workers were being treated forcibly. He later resumed the journey on the roof of his vehicle as the convoy headed toward Ichhra Bazaar.
On the first day of his visit, Afridi led his street rally through the Walled City of Lahore, covering Mochi Gate, Akbari Gate, Bhati Gate and Lohari Gate, where residents came out to greet the convoy.
In a statement issued on September 14, Azma Bokhari shared a video that she said showed Afridi getting into a police van. “Watch another stunt. Sohail Afridi himself went and sat in the police van while police officers kept asking him to get out,” she said.
The minister alleged that Afridi scolded his guards and pushed them aside when they tried to block his “drama.” “Sohail Afridi is putting on a scripted and cheap act,” she said, adding, “We are treating them with respect, but they do not deserve it.”
She also said vehicles were being stopped at various places, causing inconvenience to the public.
In a fresh round of posts on X on September 15, Bokhari shared videos she said reflected public reaction to the visit. “He was ignored on the footpath yesterday and today he was removed from the chair; he is a guest, such treatment should not be given,” she said.
“Please show me anyone other than police, guards and YouTubers,” the minister said, asserting that “the KP Chief Minister’s street movement has no public support.” She further alleged that traffic was being stopped to film videos “so as to create the impression that there are more people.”
“My job is to show you the reality; you decide for yourselves,” Bokhari added.
The visit comes amid heightened political and security sensitivities in Punjab. Earlier this week, the provincial government imposed Section 144 across Punjab until September 17, citing mounting terror alerts. Bokhari has also been vocal in recent days, having criticised PTI-linked rhetoric on September 12 and ordered a fact-based drive against disinformation.
Meanwhile, legal proceedings involving the party continue in the city, including the Jinnah House attack case, where an anti-terrorism court reserved its verdict on the arrest of two PTI leaders. Lahore’s streets have also seen sustained protest activity, with the Jamaat-e-Islami sit-in on Mall Road entering its 30th day.
With Afridi’s convoy pressing on toward Ichhra and the Punjab government contesting the scale of his support, the coming days are likely to test both PTI’s street mobilisation in Lahore and the provincial administration’s handling of it.
Leave a Reply