LAHORE | Nazrana Times Ali Imran Chattha 

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s political activities in Lahore escalated into a confrontation between PTI and the Punjab government, with PTI accusing authorities of briefly detaining the elected chief minister and launching a crackdown against its leaders.
According to details, CM Afridi arrived in Lahore as part of PTI’s “Punjab street movement” to mobilise workers ahead of the party’s September 27 Islamabad rally. During his visit, he met the family of a deceased PTI worker, led a procession, and raised slogans in support of PTI founder Imran Khan. He also sought the release of detained PTI workers.

During the activities, Afridi alleged that Punjab Police briefly “abducted” him and later left him on a roadside without security. He described the incident as an alleged conspiracy to abduct the chief minister of a province.
PTI strongly criticised the Punjab government over the incident and subsequent arrests, saying that the alleged humiliation of an elected chief minister would be viewed as an attack on the federation.
Meanwhile, PTI Vice President Lahore Mehr Naeemullah Taj was also arrested. Police additionally raided the residence of senior PTI leader Lala Ishtiaq. According to family members, Lala Ishtiaq was not present at the house when the raid took place.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari rejected Afridi’s allegations, describing the episode as a “scripted and cheap act.” She claimed that Afridi voluntarily boarded the police van and that the vehicle was moved only as a security measure. Police also denied detaining the chief minister.
The competing claims have further intensified political tensions between PTI and the Punjab government, with PTI warning of a strong response while the provincial government maintains that its actions were within the law.