Islamabad :Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has expressed “deep concern” over what he described as “discourtesy and unnecessary hostility” during his three-day visit to Lahore, raising objections to the Punjab government’s conduct in a formal letter to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
In a two-page letter posted by the KP government on X, Afridi detailed that Punjab’s handling of his visit reflected a deliberate and planned sequence of events. He criticized excessive security measures, sweeping detentions, and closed public spaces, asserting that these actions “sent a message of intimidation rather than cooperation” and violated accepted standards of inter-provincial respect.
Afridi also highlighted a coordinated social media campaign, which he claimed spread false insinuations linking him to narcotics. He alleged that the campaign appeared to be orchestrated through platforms aligned with the Punjab government, calling it unacceptable, irresponsible, and institutionally indefensible, and warned that such actions amounted to character assassination.
During his Lahore trip, Afridi’s entourage faced disruptions, including the closure of restaurants on Food Street, sealed motorway rest areas, and blackouts at public venues. He condemned these measures as disproportionate and deliberately humiliating, stressing that such conduct undermines federal harmony, public trust, and the dignity of constitutional office.
Afridi demanded that Punjab authorities ensure such conduct both administrative and digital is neither repeated nor normalized, emphasizing the importance of respecting inter-provincial relations. He also invited CM Maryam Nawaz to visit KP to observe how democratic forces uphold the dignity of provincial leadership. Afridi condemned the incidents as undemocratic, reprehensible, and contrary to national unity, warning that continued behavior of this nature would sow division and hatred.