Sohail Afridi alleges abduction in Lahore amid PTI passport blocking order

A political confrontation occurred in Lahore involving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who alleged he was “abducted” by authorities and left by the roadside. Afridi claimed the incident was part of a “conspiracy to abduct the chief minister of a province.”

Conflicting accounts of the event have emerged. A senior KP government official stated that Afridi entered a police van to protest the detention of party workers and refused to leave. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari disputed the abduction claim, stating Afridi entered the vehicle voluntarily. Bokhari noted that the driver drove away after perceiving a threat from gathering PTI supporters, but eventually stopped to let the officials out.

Separately, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has ordered the blocking of passports for 24 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers, including Chief Minister Afridi. The court issued the order following police requests to prevent the accused from fleeing the country to evade legal proceedings related to allegations of attacks on state institutions and the promotion of terrorism.