Nationwide protest for Sept 27: Afridi continues his political push into Punjab to build momentum

LAHORE: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi continued his political push into Punjab on Tuesday to build momentum for a nationwide protest planned for September 27, despite a significant presence of Punjab Police.

Afridi accused Punjab authorities of trying to abduct him as, on the second day, his mass movement through Lahore faced intense police blockades, commercial shutdowns, and worker arrests. Leading a convoy through Ferozepur Road despite heavy security cordons, he warned of a “very strong reaction” from KP if the Punjab government continued to disrupt preparations for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s September 27 protest.

He began his rally from Shah Jamal after visiting the family of Ghulam Mohiuddin Dewan, a party leader from the Azad Kashmir Constitutional Assembly who had been arrested. He was accompanied by PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja, Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Moeen-ud-Din Qureshi, provincial legislators and other local leaders.

A heavy police presence was noted along the route of the KP Chief Minister’s rally, with police forcibly closing shops and markets along Ferozepur Road and blocking all roads and streets on both sides to limit the movement of PTI workers, supporters, and the general public. According to the PTI, in some instances, police even confined shopkeepers and citizens in plazas to prevent them from participating in the rally. There were several occasions when Punjab police officials, both in uniform and civilian clothes, attempted to arrest party workers, but members of Afridi’s official squad intervened to help them escape police custody.

Speaking to the media during the rally, the KP CM accused the Punjab Police of attempting to abduct him the previous night and claimed the provincial government was creating obstacles to his political activities. “I was almost abducted,” Afridi stated, adding that he had been driven around Lahore’s streets for about 15 minutes before being released on the roadside. He warned that if anything were to happen to him in Punjab, the provincial government and Punjab Police would be held responsible.

He also alleged that police were arresting PTI workers and trying to prevent people from joining his convoy by closing shops and markets. He described these police actions as efforts to obstruct the street movement.

The PTI-led convoy subsequently moved along Ferozepur Road towards Muslim Town, with Afridi at times leaving his vehicle to join the crowds gathered along the route. Supporters of PTI chanted slogans in support of party founder Imran Khan, and a large number of people gathered on both sides of the road. Later in the night, he completed his street mobilisation campaign in Lahore and left the city via the Sialkot Motorway.

In a video message earlier, Afridi criticised the media for failing to raise awareness about the death of PTI activist Ishtiaq Ahmad, whom he alleged had been thrown into boiling oil during a police raid linked to Eid Milad-un-Nabi preparations. He stated that PTI would disclose its complete plan for the September 27 protest one week before the event and urged the public to stand up for their rights.

The KP CM claimed that even a force of 100,000 police or military personnel could not prevent the mobilisation of four million people. He warned the Punjab government and police against creating obstacles to the movement, stating that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was discussing its response and that a “very strong reaction” would follow if PTI workers experienced the same treatment as the previous night.

Meanwhile, the PTI claimed that PTI Lahore chapter Vice President Mehr Naeemullah Taj was arrested, while police raided the residence of senior PTI leader Lala Ishtiaq, although he was not at home at the time.

The party also claimed that police were closing markets and restricting the public from joining the movement. They alleged that both workers and journalists were subjected to police action, with hundreds of police personnel deployed around the convoy.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026