Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi declared he will resume his street movement in Lahore starting Tuesday evening. He accused Punjab police of obstructing roads, detaining his party workers, and forcibly driving him around the city without any security detail.

In a video message, Afridi confirmed he remained in Lahore and planned to re-emerge at 5 pm. He noted that although no formal call was made for protests on Monday, large crowds spontaneously took to the streets.

Afridi emphasized that the protesters acted independently, without prior instructions on their routes. He alleged that Punjab police blocked all the paths protesters used, switched off streetlights in those areas, and closed petrol stations, preventing fuel supply to protest vehicles.

He further claimed that tents at the group’s lodging were dismantled and incoming workers were arrested. The detained individuals were reportedly placed inside police vans, prompting Afridi to stand atop one of these vans in protest.

Although police later proposed talks and the release of the workers, Afridi said they failed to follow through. He described an incident where police drove him around in a van against his will as an “abduction,” highlighting the security risk of being left without protection for 15 minutes before being abandoned midway.

He characterized these actions as part of a deliberate conspiracy. Afridi also referenced recent statements suggesting the government faces threats from Pakistan’s other three provinces rather than India, accusing the “imposed corrupt group” of attempting to divide the country.

“I do not face a security threat; rather, the threat comes from the security apparatus itself,” Afridi asserted. He criticized Punjab police for becoming politicized and toxic, claiming their conduct has eroded any sense of propriety.

He accused Punjab’s ruling authorities and their police force of being complicit in violence, stating their hands are “already stained with blood.” Afridi warned that efforts to suppress his movement through underhanded tactics would ultimately fail.

He highlighted that Lahore’s residents mobilized spontaneously on Monday without political prompting and are expected to do so again on Tuesday. Afridi urged the Punjab government and police to reconsider their approach, cautioning that if their behavior does not improve, a strong response will be initiated following the current session of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.