Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said on Saturday that Pakistan was his country, and wherever he went, he did not need a reason for it, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Speaking to the media men in Lahore, he said the purpose of his Lahore trip was to meet the PTI leaders.
He said that a letter had been written to the Punjab government in which it was conveyed to the latter that he wanted to meet party leaders imprisoned 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 former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan had given the responsibility for “dialogue or protest” to the opposition alliance, Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP).
The KP CM said that while the TTAP was “making efforts on its end”, which he supported, he had been directed to prepare for a street movement and he would take “those preparations to their peak”.
Referring to the claims that the PTI was not popular in Punjab, CM Afridi announced a party rally at Minar-i-Pakistan at 6pm tomorrow (Sunday).
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 the stage for them in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. If they cannot provide transport to the people, I will also provide them with transport. They can hold a rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and I will hold one in Lahore.”
Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi went to the residences of incarcerated PTI leaders and met with their families.
The chief minister went to the residence of Shah Mehmood Qureshi where he was welcomed by Zain Qureshi and Meher Bano Qureshi.
He also visited the residence of Dr. Yasmin Rahid in Johar Town.
Later, he went to the residence of Ijaz Chaudhry.
Afridi also plans to visit the residences of PTI leader Hammad Azhar, as well as party activists Sanam Javed and Falak Javed.
In the evening, he will head to the residence of PTI worker Ali Bilal, also known as Zille Shah, who died during a party protest in 2023.
According to PTI lawyer Naeem Panjutha, the KP CM was not able to visit former governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema’s house as it was located in a cantonment and “permission was not being given to enter”.
Reporter: Usman Khadim Kamboh