KP CM Afridi galvanises Lahore’s legal fraternity for PTI’s street movement

LAHORE: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday called on the members of Lahore High Court Bar Association to stand with PTI workers in the party’s “street movement”.

Afridi is currently on a three-day visit to Lahore. He had spent the first day on Friday greeting and addressing PTI supporters, who met him at different points en route to the city.

On Saturday, he visited the families of jailed PTI leaders whom he was not permitted to meet at Kot Lakhpat jail. The KP chief minister met with the families of Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid and other party leaders.

Addressing the LHCBA, the KP CM said, “You have seen how the false Punjab government has been treating us — their guests,” KP CM said.

“Imran Khan sahab has issued the orders to begin preparation for the street movement,” he said, adding that it was a “huge responsibility”.

Recalling the 27th Constitutional Amendment, he stressed that “courts in the country had been rendered useless”.

“Three judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had allowed me to meet my party founder, but a mere jail superintendent dismissed the orders,” he said.

On that note, he called on them to “stand for an independent judiciary”.

“The Constitution gives us the right to assembly and the right to protest,” he said, as he urged them to stand with PTI workers in their “struggle for true freedom”.

Speaking in the afternoon, CM Afridi referred to claims that the PTI was no more in Punjab. Without naming the party, he also challenged the PML-N to a contest of who could bring a larger crowd to their gathering in each other’s province.

“They can select a ground of their choice. Let’s see who will bring more people,” Afridi said, adding that the rivals could hold their rally next week.

“I will also set up a stage for them in KP. If they cannot provide transport to the people, I will also provide them with transport. They can hold a jalsa (rally) in KP and I will hold one in Lahore.”

Speaking about his visits earlier in the day, Afridi said the incarcerated PTI leaders were in “wrongful confinement” and were a source of courage for the party.

He hailed them for standing with PTI founder Imran Khan despite their health issues and “all the oppression and fascism”.

On Saturday, CM Afridi first visited Qureshi‘s home, with visuals released by the PTI on X showing the former foreign minister’s son Zain and daughter Meher Bano present during the meeting. Addressing the media alongside them, Afridi said, “This is my Pakistan, and wherever I go, I do not need a reason for it.”

The chief minister said the aim of his Lahore trip was to meet party leaders. He said that the KP government had written to Punjab for meeting imprisoned party leaders at Kot Lakhpat jail but it “did not respond”.

Afridi mentioned the names of multiple incarcerated leaders he wanted to meet and added, “I also wanted to meet the rest of the leadership and workers, but unfortunately, they did not let me meet them.”

He went on to say that the Punjab government’s “attitude since yesterday showed low mentality“.

Asked whether he thought issues with the federal government could be resolved through talks, CM Afridi said Imran had given the responsibility for “dialogue or protest“ to the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP). Staff Report