ISLAMABAD:
Lahore is back on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s radar as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi plans to return to the province in a bid to revive the party’s waning political presence.
The proposed visit, following a planned trip to Kashmir on April 25 to mark the founding day of the PTI, is scheduled for May 1 and is part of a broader effort by the party to sustain mobilization across provinces.
The Lahore move marks Afridi’s second attempt in five months to activate the party in the politically critical province, after a previous visit in December 2025 faced administrative resistance, including restrictions on public engagements.
Afridi said he would first travel to Kashmir on April 25, marking the founding day of the PTI, followed by a visit to Lahore on May 1.
The announcement comes as the PTI continues to push its protest narrative despite earlier reactions in Punjab, where the party’s activities have faced operational and administrative constraints.
Within the party, the move is framed as part of a broader political fight to maintain momentum across regions.
However, the PTI’s provincial leadership in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa seemed less aligned with the plan.
PTI KP Chairman Junaid Akbar said he was not aware of any concrete plans regarding the proposed trip to Lahore, adding that his focus remains on organizational responsibilities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the recent Mardan rally.
Junaid Akbar said the visit to Lahore was part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister’s plan and added that he would be willing to take up any role assigned by the party leadership in this regard.
On the contrary, PTI Central Deputy Secretary for Information Shaukat Yousafzai defended the move and stated that the purpose of the visit to Lahore was to mobilise.
He stressed that the party should be allowed to carry out political activities freely, pointing out that Lahore is part of Pakistan.
He reiterated that the PTI remains committed to its political struggle despite the current challenges.
On the broader coordination front, Imran Khan has ordered that decisions related to street movement or any political matter must be taken in consultation with Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas.
However, Shaukat Yousafzai said the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP) alliance would independently decide whether to participate in the movement, indicating different positions among stakeholders.
‘No consultation’
Akhunzada Hussain Youafzai, spokesperson for the grand opposition alliance, told The Express PAkGazette on Monday that no consultation was held with the alliance over Afridi’s announcement.
He said consultation means being considered confidential before any decision is made, adding that it cannot be called consultation if interested parties are informed only after decisions are announced publicly.
When asked if they would be willing to go to Lahore if formally invited, he revealed that TTAP was already planning to visit Lahore on May 1 at the invitation of Ammar Ali Jan’s Haqooq-e-Khalq Party.
He said the alliance was not aware of Afridi’s specific plan for that date and questioned what the PTI’s actual program was.
He also indicated that the announcement could complicate arrangements for his own planned activity and said that ideally such announcements should come from PTI president Barrister Gohar rather than the provincial leadership.
This fact also highlights organizational limitations in Punjab, where the PTI’s provincial leadership remains largely inactive due to multiple arrests, limiting its ability to mobilize effectively within the province.
Commenting on the broader strategy, Ahmad Bilal Mehboob, president of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency, said the PTI appears to be seeking political pressure through mobilization in the hope of securing relief for its leaders.
He said this approach could backfire, noting that the Punjab government is unlikely to allow large-scale mobilization.
He added that while creating political space is a legitimate goal, it must be pursued through non-confrontational means.
Mehboob further observed that recent national and regional developments had reduced the PTI’s visibility in the daily news cycle, and that renewed mobilization efforts may also aim to bring the party back into political headlines.
