Pakistan’s KP CM meets families of jailed PTI leaders during Lahore visit to rally party

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday met families of senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders imprisoned at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail, highlighting the party’s efforts to maintain morale amid legal and political pressures.

Afridi visited the residence of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, where he was received by Zain Qureshi and Mehr Bano Qureshi.

He also met families of other detained leaders, including Dr. Yasmin Rashid and Ijaz Chaudhry, signaling PTI’s focus on consolidating support in Punjab while key leaders remain behind bars.

The visit follows Afridi’s arrival in Lahore on Friday for a three-day political tour aimed at strengthening the party’s position in Pakistan’s most populous province. He entered via the Ravi Motorway Toll Plaza and travelled with a convoy to the home of PTI ticket-holder Nadeem Abbas Barah, beginning a packed schedule of political consultations.

On Friday, Afridi also met PTI lawmakers at the Punjab Assembly and visited the homes of Advocate Haider Majeed and Kamran Kirmani. Speaking inside the assembly premises, he thanked Punjab residents for their hospitality but criticized provincial police for allegedly harassing PTI workers at multiple points along his route, including Chakri Interchange, Bhera, Sargodha, and Mandi Bahauddin.

He further criticized the federal government over economic management, citing farmer distress, emigration of skilled workers, and slowing industrial growth, while accusing authorities of attempting to curb PTI’s political activities and limit access to jailed party founder Imran Khan.

Tensions briefly escalated on Friday at the Punjab Assembly when visiting PTI leaders, including KP Minister Meena Khan Afridi, were involved in a scuffle with security personnel. Later, Afridi led a rally at Liberty Chowk, where workers and supporters gathered into the night, although police roadblocks prevented him from delivering a planned speech at Liberty Roundabout.

Afridi’s Saturday engagements, including the jail-family visits, underscore PTI’s ongoing mobilization efforts in Punjab, as the party seeks to strengthen coordination with local leaders and build momentum ahead of potential future protests. Additional meetings and political engagements are expected during the remainder of his visit.