• Sohail Afridi’s entourage arrived in city around 4:30pm; PTI workers complain of harassment, arrests en route
• Engagements at Punjab Assembly marred by altercations, confrontations with journalists
• Govt provides ‘foolproof security’; Azma ‘welcomes’ chief minister to Punjab
LAHORE: Although Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi managed to reach Liberty Roundabout on Friday night, he was unable to deliver a planned speech at the venue as a heavy contingent of police had blocked all roads leading to area by setting up pickets.
Videos posted by PTI on social media showed a large number of party supporters, including Imran Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan and Noreen Khan Niazi, present near Liberty Chowk.
The chief minister, who was due to launch the PTI’s street movement from Lahore, had earlier spent the day greeting and addressing PTI supporters, who met him at different points en route to Lahore.
His convoy eventually entered Lahore around 4:30pm, from where he made a bee-line for the Punjab Assembly. The visit to the provincial legislature was marred by altercations between members of his entourage and security officials, while several heated exchanges between PTI leaders and journalists were also witnessed.
Addressing PTI lawmakers at the Punjab Assembly, he thanked the people of Punjab for their hospitality, but highlighted his treatment at the hands of police during the journey to Lahore.
“Today, the Punjab Police were rude to our workers at Chakri Interchange, Bhera, Sargodha and Mandi Bahauddin,” he said. “Our workers, our parliamentarians, our leaders — they were harassed and arrested. This cannot be condemned enough.”
CM Afridi assailed the federal government for failure to handle the economy, brain drain and declining industrial growth.
