LAHORE
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi extended a pointed invitation to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif during a media interaction in Lahore on Saturday, urging her to visit KP to learn about the “honor and respect” associated with the chief ministerial position.
Speaking to reporters, Afridi remarked that Maryam Nawaz’s recent conduct had left a lasting impression on parliamentarians, including himself. “The way she has behaved is imprinted on the mind of every parliamentarian, especially mine. I am not able to get it out of my mind at all,” he said.
He extended the invitation not only to Maryam Nawaz but also to what he described as the “fake Chief Minister and all the parliamentarians sitting in the fake government of Punjab.” Afridi alleged that Maryam Nawaz had assumed office “in a wrong way” but insisted on the invitation regardless, stating he would personally demonstrate how “democratic forces take care of these values.”
Afridi criticized the Punjab government’s attitude, calling it a “sign of mental degradation” and inappropriate for a respectable society. He referenced unsuccessful attempts to meet PTI prisoners in Kot Lakhpat Jail, noting that letters sent to the Punjab government received no response.
Despite the hurdles, Afridi vowed to intensify the street movement for the “Protection of the Constitution of Pakistan,” affirming his alignment with the initiative.
The KP chief minister was in Lahore for a series of political engagements, including visits to the families of incarcerated senior PTI leaders.
He first called on the family of former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at their residence. Qureshi’s son, Zain Qureshi, presented Afridi with a traditional Seraiki Ajrak, while a large number of party workers and leaders accompanied the chief minister. Afridi also met Qureshi’s wife and prayed for her speedy recovery.
Subsequently, Afridi visited the home of senior PTI leader Dr. Yasmin Rashid, where he met her family members in the presence of Barrister Salman Akram Raja and other party figures.The convoy then proceeded to the residence of PTI leader Ijaz Chaudhry, whose son expressed gratitude for the visit and solidarity.
Afridi later visited the home of former Punjab Assembly opposition leader Mian Mahmood-ul-Rashid, offering support to his family amid his incarceration.
PTI lawyer Naeem Haider Panjotha noted that a visit to former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema’s residence was not possible due to its location in a cantonment area, where access was denied. An aide to Afridi alleged widespread blockades by authorities, questioning the government’s claims of public support.
The visits underscore PTI’s efforts to rally support in Punjab amid ongoing political friction with the PML-N-led provincial government. Afridi’s Lahore trip, part of a broader push for street protests, has faced restrictions, including barriers and reported harassment of party workers.
