In a symbolic move during an ongoing austerity campaign, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Member of the National Assembly Iqbal Afridi left the Parliament building on a bicycle after addressing the National Assembly of Pakistan.
Speaking on the floor of the House earlier on Monday, Afridi delivered a critical speech targeting the government and the current political situation. He said that “the state’s lie is of a strange kind,” and added that the real issue facing the House is that its “three main pillars” are being compromised, alleging that the mandate of the people is being manipulated.
He claimed that the state had been “enslaved” and questioned government policies, asking why Pakistan was not purchasing oil from Iran. Afridi accused the authorities of suppressing opposition voices, stating that microphones and television broadcasts are turned off when PTI members attempt to speak.
Raising concerns over the rising cost of living in Pakistan, the PTI lawmaker demanded an explanation for the rising inflation. He reiterated party loyalty to its incarcerated leadership, saying, “The leader who is sitting in jail [former prime minister Imran Khan] is our red line.”
Afridi’s decision to leave Parliament on a bicycle was seen as a gesture aligned with calls for austerity and cost-cutting measures.