LAHORE: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi turned himself in to police van during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) street movement in Lahore to avoid embarrassment after failing to mobilise public support in Punjab ahead of the party’s call for the September 27 long march.
Video footage circulating on social media showed Sohail Afridi sitting inside a police van. Police personnel could be heard asking him to come out of the vehicle, but he remained inside as the van moved a short distance before he eventually emerged.
The video has sparked a new debate, with social media users criticising Sohail Afridi for creating the impression that he had been arrested to ease political pressure ahead of the September 27 long march call.
یہ ہیں خیبرپختونخوا کے وزیر اعلیٰ سہیل آفریدی جو خود پولیس وین میں بیٹھ کر مظلومیت کا سین بنا رہے ہیں۔سیاست کم ڈرامہ زیادہ اور پھر کہتے ہیں عوام کیوں ہنستے ہیں۔ 🤣
TIK TOKER CM KP
👇👇 pic.twitter.com/oR4M5wXTcZ— Waqar Satti 🎖️🇵🇰 (@waqarsatti) September 14, 2026
In the video circulating on social media, Sohail Afridi is seen voluntarily sitting in a police van in the presence of police personnel, while officers can be heard asking him to step out of the vehicle.
However, Sohail Afridi did not step out of the van; the police vehicle moved forward a short distance, after which he emerged on his own.
Following the incident, social media users criticised PTI for portraying the incident as an arrest or police action; however, videos proved the incident was a staged event.
ایک اور ڈرامہ بازی ملاحظہ کریں،خود جا کر پولیس وین میں بیٹھ گئے،پولیس والے اترنے کو کہہ رہے ہیں،اپنے گارڈذ کو اپنا ڈرامہ بلاک کرنے پر جھاڑ کر پرے کردیا،فرمائشی اور سستی ایکٹینگ
انکو عزت دے رہے ہیں لیکن یہ اسکے لائق ہی نہیں pic.twitter.com/CXVeRGAu0u— Azma Zahid Bokhari (@AzmaBokhariPMLN) September 14, 2026
Critics argue that if the police had intended to arrest Sohail Afridi, why did officers repeatedly ask him to step out of the van?
Political analysts maintained that making claims achieves nothing; public support must be visible on the streets, not just in statements.
The video also shows that after exiting the police van, Sohail Afridi arrived at Lahore’s Lakshmi Chowk and staged a protest while sitting by the roadside. No one cared while Sohail Afridi was sitting on the roadside. A large number of police personnel were present during this time.
پولیس کی گاڑی میں بھاگ کر بیٹھا اپنے یوٹیومرز کو سوشل میڈیا کے انقلابیوں کو پروپیگنڈا مواد دیا اور پھر پولیس کی گاڑی سے اتر کر سڑک پر بیٹھ گیا، لاہور کے عوام نے سڑک پر بیٹھے سہیل آفریدی کو گھاس تک نہیں ڈالی، مقبولیت دیکھو ٹریفک معمول کے مطابق چل رہی ہے کسی نے رک کر دیکھنا بھی… pic.twitter.com/WTPGuaGghg
— Sabir Mehmood Hashmi (@SabirMehmood26) September 14, 2026
PTI’s street movement in Lahore is unfolding at a time when the party has announced a “long march” for September 27.
In the current climate, some quarters view the Sohail Afridi incident as a strategy to build political momentum ahead of the long march.
According to critics, the fact that he sat in the police van himself—and did not immediately step out despite police requests—reinforced the impression that the incident was an attempt to create the appearance of an arrest rather than an actual arrest.
The visuals have fuelled criticism that the Lahore mobilisation failed to demonstrate the level of public support claimed by the party.
