A political dispute escalated in Lahore on Monday when Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi accused authorities of abducting him and abandoning him by the roadside. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari firmly denied these allegations. Afridi claimed, “We were abducted and, under external pressure, I was left on the roadside without security.” He further alleged a conspiracy aimed at abducting a provincial chief minister, warning that such actions sought to divide the country.

Contrasting Afridi’s version, a senior KP official traveling with him described the events differently. The official stated that Afridi voluntarily entered a police van to negotiate the release of party workers detained earlier that day. While some workers were freed, others remained inside the vehicle. Afridi reportedly refused to exit the van until all detainees were released. The police then moved the vehicle a short distance before removing Afridi, the official.

Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Bokhari contested this narrative, asserting that Afridi boarded the police vehicle willingly. Video footage shared by Bokhari showed Afridi approaching and entering the van, then later refusing to disembark despite requests. She explained that the situation arose when PTI supporters surrounded the police vehicle, causing officers to feel threatened. The driver, fearing an attack, drove away briefly before stopping, at which point people reportedly disembarked and sat on the footpath.

Bokhari questioned why no motorists reported seeing Afridi sitting on the footpath and denied that he had been arrested, noting the absence of police at the site and presence of Afridi’s security and a cameraman. She dismissed Afridi’s claim of being released under pressure and left without security with sarcasm, referring to it as “total drama.”

Conflicting information also emerged from Afridi’s own official X account. One post at approximately 9pm stated he had voluntarily boarded a Punjab Police van and reached a police station, while an earlier post placed him with party workers at a protest on Lahore’s Mall Road.

KP Information Minister Shafi Jan supported Afridi’s allegations, accusing Punjab Police of attempting to abduct the chief minister. Jan claimed Afridi was separated from his security detail and forcibly moved to a remote location before being left without protection once pressure mounted. He condemned the Punjab government under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for what he described as police high-handedness and unconstitutional conduct.

Jan warned that any attempt to abduct an elected chief minister would undermine the federation’s foundations and accused the episode of being a deliberate provocation to sow discord between provinces. He vowed that Afridi’s humiliation would not be tolerated.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also denounced what it termed Afridi’s “arrest” in Punjab, calling it an insult to KP’s mandate and dignity. The party warned that such incidents, combined with recent statements by Punjab’s chief minister, risk deepening resentment and mistrust among provinces. PTI emphasized its commitment to avoiding provincialism, ethnicity, or division, underscoring respect for all provinces’ mandates.

This confrontation unfolded as Afridi’s visit to Lahore transformed into a broader political clash with Punjab’s administration. Afridi criticized the provincial government, declined security, and announced plans for a nationwide street movement on September 27 aimed at removing what he called “fake rulers.”

Originally, Afridi had outlined a detailed itinerary for his Punjab visit but altered plans to travel directly to Lahore to offer condolences to a senior party worker’s family following the worker’s death from burn injuries. His arrival was followed by disputes over the movement of PTI leaders and supporters, with the KP government accusing Punjab Police of obstructing those attempting to join Afridi.

Afridi condemned the police involved, labeling them “shameless” and accusing them of causing a man’s death while preparing for Eid-i-Miladun Nabi celebrations. He rejected security from a force he accused of such actions.

Responding to Maryam Nawaz’s claim of feeling threatened by the other three provinces, Afridi retorted that he felt no threat from his fellow citizens in Punjab, dismissing her remarks as those of a “fake chief minister.”

As Afridi and his cabinet members entered Punjab, their convoy encountered police blockades, with several entry and exit points in Lahore sealed. Tensions escalated between police and PTI workers at various points, resulting in scuffles. Despite these challenges, Afridi received enthusiastic welcomes from PTI supporters at multiple locations. Hundreds of party workers lined the roads, chanting slogans, while Afridi addressed them at Do Moriya Pul on Circular Road. He made several stops along the route, greeting supporters and raising slogans from the sunroof of his vehicle.