Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Monday alleged that he was abducted by authorities during his visit to Lahore and later left by the roadside without security, a claim strongly rejected by the Punjab government.
“We were abducted and, when they [authorities] came under pressure from somewhere, they threw me by the roadside, left me without security and drove away,” Afridi said while speaking to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers.
The KP chief minister also alleged that there had been a “conspiracy to abduct the chief minister of a province”, warning that such incidents could fuel divisions within the country.
Conflicting accounts of police vehicle incident
A senior KP government official travelling with Afridi gave a different account of the events, saying the chief minister voluntarily entered a police vehicle in an attempt to secure the release of PTI workers detained during the day’s confrontations.
According to the official, some workers were released while others remained inside the vehicle. Afridi allegedly refused to leave as long as the detained workers were still being held.
The official claimed that police subsequently drove the vehicle some distance from its original location before removing Afridi and leaving him there.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari disputed the account, saying Afridi had entered the police vehicle voluntarily.
Footage shared by Bokhari appeared to show the KP chief minister walking towards the police vehicle and getting inside. In another part of the footage, Afridi can be seen refusing to leave the vehicle as someone asks him to “please leave the vehicle”.
Bokhari said PTI supporters had gathered around the vehicle, prompting the driver to believe that the police were under attack.
She also rejected the suggestion that Afridi had been arrested, saying no police officers were present at the location when he was allegedly left there. According to Bokhari, Afridi’s guards and a cameraman were with him.
Describing the incident as “total drama”, the Punjab minister questioned why motorists in the area had apparently not reported seeing the KP chief minister sitting on the roadside.
She also sarcastically dismissed Afridi’s claim that pressure had led to his release, saying: “The only pressure in that scenario is his low blood pressure.”
ایک اور ڈرامہ بازی ملاحظہ کریں،خود جا کر پولیس وین میں بیٹھ گئے،پولیس والے اترنے کو کہہ رہے ہیں،اپنے گارڈذ کو اپنا ڈرامہ بلاک کرنے پر جھاڑ کر پرے کردیا،فرمائشی اور سستی ایکٹینگ
انکو عزت دے رہے ہیں لیکن یہ اسکے لائق ہی نہیں pic.twitter.com/CXVeRGAu0u— Azma Zahid Bokhari (@AzmaBokhariPMLN) September 14, 2026
PTI accuses Punjab government of targeting Afridi
KP Information Minister Shafi Jan backed Afridi’s allegations and accused Punjab Police of attempting to abduct the elected chief minister.
Jan alleged that Afridi had been separated from his security detail and forcibly moved into another vehicle before being taken to a remote location. He claimed the chief minister was later left without his security personnel after pressure mounted on the authorities.
The KP minister described the alleged treatment as unconstitutional and undemocratic and warned that any attempt to abduct an elected provincial chief executive would amount to an attack on the federation.
PTI also condemned what it described as Afridi’s “arrest” in Punjab, saying the incident was an insult to the mandate and dignity of the people of KP.
The party warned that the episode, along with recent remarks by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, could deepen resentment and mistrust among the provinces. It said it would not promote “provincialism, ethnicity, hatred or division” and stressed that the electoral mandate of people across the country should be respected.
Afridi’s Lahore visit turns into political confrontation
The controversy unfolded during Afridi’s visit to Lahore, which quickly developed into a confrontation between PTI supporters and the Punjab administration.
Afridi had initially planned a detailed programme for his Punjab visit but travelled directly to Lahore to offer condolences to the family of a senior party worker who had died from burn injuries.
His convoy encountered police blockades at several points, while the KP government alleged that Punjab Police were creating hurdles for PTI leaders and workers attempting to join the chief minister.
The KP chief minister criticised the police personnel involved and rejected security from the force, saying he did not want protection from an institution he accused of being responsible for a man’s death while he was preparing for Eid-i-Miladun Nabi celebrations.
Afridi also responded to Maryam Nawaz’s remarks that she felt threatened by the other three provinces, saying he did not consider the people of Punjab a threat.
Tensions escalated as Afridi and members of his cabinet encountered sealed entry and exit points and police blockades while travelling through Lahore. Scuffles were also reported between police and PTI workers at several locations.
At the same time, PTI supporters gathered along the route to welcome Afridi. Hundreds of workers lined roads and chanted slogans as the KP chief minister addressed supporters at Do Moriya Pul on Circular Road and waved to crowds while standing through his vehicle’s sunroof.
