Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has claimed that an attempt was made to kill him during his ongoing political activities in Punjab. The chief minister said his security team caught an armed man in Wazirabad who, according to his claim, had been sent to target him.
Afridi made the allegation on Wednesday, September 16, while speaking about his movement through Punjab. He said the suspected attacker was wearing plain clothes and was carrying a pistol. According to the chief minister, his security team noticed the man, caught him and recovered the weapon before handing him over to the local police.
However, the police have rejected Afridi’s version of events. Gujranwala Police said the man who was detained was actually a police constable deployed for security duty. This has created two different versions of what happened during the chief minister’s journey from Sialkot towards Wazirabad.
Afridi Says He Was Targeted
In a video statement, CM Sohail Afridi said the incident took place after he travelled from Sialkot to Wazirabad as part of his political activities in Punjab.
Afridi claimed that an armed person had been sent in plain clothes with the intention of killing him. He said his security team managed to catch the man before anything happened.
According to the chief minister, a pistol was recovered from the person and he was later handed over to the local police.
Afridi also shared a photograph of the person whom he described as the suspected attacker. He did not publicly identify the person who allegedly sent the man or provide independent evidence to support his claim.
The allegation has added another serious development to an already tense political situation involving the KP government, PTI workers and the Punjab authorities.
Police Reject the Assassination Claim
Gujranwala Police have presented a completely different account.
According to police officials, the person detained near Afridi was not an attacker. Police said he was a constable who had been deployed as part of the security arrangements for the KP chief minister.
The police position directly challenges Afridi’s claim that the man was sent to assassinate him. Officials said the constable was performing security duties and that there was no confirmed assassination attempt as described by the chief minister.
The conflicting accounts mean that the circumstances surrounding the incident remain disputed. Afridi has described the incident as a serious threat to his life, while police have maintained that the person involved was part of the security team.
Further investigation and official findings would be needed to establish exactly what happened.
Afridi’s Punjab Political Campaign
The latest allegation came after several days of political activity by Afridi in Punjab.
The KP chief minister travelled to Lahore and visited different areas as part of the PTI’s Punjab street movement. The party is preparing for a major protest and long march planned for September 27.
Afridi has been leading activities in Lahore and speaking to PTI supporters. His visit has taken place amid heavy police deployment and increased political tension.
On Tuesday, he continued his street campaign in Lahore and addressed workers and supporters. He said the party would announce more details about its September 27 protest closer to the date.
The political activity has also caused disruption in parts of Lahore, with police placing barriers and taking security measures in several areas.
Earlier Dispute With Punjab Police
The latest incident follows an earlier confrontation between Afridi and Punjab authorities in Lahore.
During his visit to the city, Afridi claimed that Punjab Police had stopped his movement and detained PTI workers. He also alleged that police had removed tents from a protest camp and blocked roads.
The KP chief minister further claimed that police vehicles were used to take detained workers away and that he had later been taken away in a police van.
Afridi described the incident as an attempt to abduct him. He said he was separated from his security team and later left on the roadside without protection.
Punjab authorities, however, denied that he had been abducted.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said Afridi had entered the police vehicle voluntarily. She pointed to video footage showing the chief minister walking towards and entering the vehicle.
A senior KP official gave another explanation, saying Afridi had entered the police van to help secure the release of detained party workers. According to that account, some workers were released, but Afridi stayed inside the vehicle because other workers remained detained.
Political Tensions Continue
The disagreement over the Wazirabad incident is taking place against the backdrop of wider political tensions between PTI and the Punjab government.
Afridi has accused the Punjab authorities of using police action to stop his party’s political activities. Punjab officials, on the other hand, have questioned his presence in Lahore and rejected accusations of political victimisation.
During his Lahore campaign, Afridi said his party would continue its activities despite police restrictions.
He has also accused authorities of detaining a large number of PTI workers. According to a report published by Dawn, Afridi claimed that more than 2,000 workers had been detained during the two-day campaign. Punjab officials have disputed his broader allegations and criticised what they described as political rhetoric.
The situation has also affected traffic in Lahore. Police barriers and security measures caused disruption on several major roads, including parts of Ferozepur Road, Jail Road, Mall Road and Canal Road. Reports said traffic remained blocked in some areas for long periods.
September 27 Protest
The latest developments are linked to PTI’s planned September 27 protest and long march.
The party has announced plans for nationwide political activity, including a march towards the federal capital. PTI says the protest is connected to its demand for the release of party founder Imran Khan.
Afridi has been playing an active role in mobilising supporters in Punjab. His Lahore visit was part of those efforts.
On Tuesday, he told supporters that preparations for the September 27 protest had been completed. He said the party would share its detailed plan closer to the event.
With political activity increasing, security arrangements around senior PTI leaders and public gatherings have also become more important.
Questions Over Security Arrangements
The Wazirabad incident has raised questions about security arrangements for a provincial chief minister travelling outside his province.
Afridi said his personal security team caught the suspected attacker. He also claimed that the person was carrying a pistol.
Police, however, said the detained person was a constable assigned to security duty.
These conflicting statements are important because they describe the same incident in very different ways. One side says a potential attack was prevented, while the other says the person involved was part of the official security arrangement.
At this stage, the public information does not independently establish Afridi’s allegation that an assassination attempt took place.
A formal investigation could help clarify why the constable was present, what weapon was recovered, whether he was authorised to carry it and what instructions he had been given.
Afridi Raises Serious Concerns
For Afridi, the incident is another reason to raise concerns about his safety while taking part in political activities in Punjab.
The chief minister has already accused Punjab authorities of mistreating him during his Lahore visit. He has said that he was separated from his security personnel and taken away in a police vehicle.
His latest allegation is more serious because it involves a claimed threat to his life.
Afridi has argued that the incident should not be treated as a routine security matter. He says the presence of an armed person near him during a political tour raises serious concerns.
At the same time, the police account needs to be considered because officials have specifically denied that the detained man was an attacker.
Punjab Government’s Position
Punjab authorities have repeatedly rejected Afridi’s allegations concerning his Lahore visit.
Officials have said that the actions taken by police were related to maintaining law and order and managing political gatherings.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has also criticised Afridi’s decision to participate directly in political activities in Lahore while serving as the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Punjab government’s position is that the incidents involving Afridi have been presented politically by the KP leadership.
The dispute has therefore expanded beyond one security incident. It has become part of a wider disagreement between the PTI-led KP government and the Punjab administration.
What Happens Next?
The immediate focus will be on the investigation into the Wazirabad incident and the identity and role of the person detained by Afridi’s security team.
If police evidence confirms that the man was a serving constable assigned to security duty, it would challenge the chief minister’s description of the incident as an assassination attempt.
If further evidence supports Afridi’s claim, it would raise much more serious questions about the security of a sitting provincial chief minister during political activities.
For now, the two sides remain divided over what happened.
Afridi says an armed man was sent to kill him and that his security team stopped the attempt. Police say the man was a constable performing security duties.
The matter comes at a sensitive time, with PTI preparing for its September 27 protest and political activity increasing across the country.
Conclusion
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s claim of an attempt on his life has added another major issue to the growing political tensions between PTI and the Punjab government.
Afridi says an armed man in plain clothes was sent to target him during his journey from Sialkot to Wazirabad. He claims his security team caught the man and recovered a pistol.
Punjab Police have rejected this account and said the person was actually a police constable assigned to the chief minister’s security.
The conflicting claims have yet to be fully resolved. An investigation and clear evidence will be important in determining what actually happened.
Meanwhile, Afridi continues to take part in PTI’s political activities in Punjab ahead of the September 27 protest. His recent Lahore visit has already led to disputes over police action, the detention of workers and security arrangements.
As the protest date approaches, the situation is likely to remain closely watched, particularly because of the continuing disagreement between the KP government, PTI supporters and Punjab authorities.
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