Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly condemns Punjab authorities and police over Afridi incident
The assembly of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday adopted a joint resolution condemning the Punjab authorities and police over the alleged unlawful restriction of the movement of provincial Chief Minister Sohail Afridi during his visit to Lahore on Monday evening.
As Dawn reports, the document was introduced in the assembly by Law Minister Aftab Alam Afridi. The resolution alleges that Punjab police forcibly placed the head of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in a police vehicle, separated him from his security detail and left him on the roadside without it.
Assembly’s position
Participants in the session said they viewed the incident not merely as a political or administrative dispute, but as an issue of dignity, personal liberty, security and provincial autonomy of an elected regional government head. At the request of the law minister, Speaker Babar Saleem Swati suspended the planned agenda so that the assembly could discuss the alleged abduction of Afridi by police in Lahore.
The resolution states that restricting the movement of an elected chief minister without legal grounds, proper detention, a written order or legal procedure would contravene Articles 4, 9, 14 and 25 of Pakistan’s Constitution. These articles concern the right to be treated in accordance with the law, personal liberty, human dignity and equality before the law.
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The assembly also stressed that the police or administration of one province cannot treat the elected constitutional head of another province in a humiliating manner or outside the law because of political differences or other circumstances.
Calls for an investigation
The assembly recommended that the federal government immediately conduct a transparent and impartial investigation. It also called on the Punjab government to explain the alleged unlawful and unconstitutional actions and examine the role of the police officers and other officials present, video recordings, surveillance camera footage and other evidence.
The resolution states that if abuse of authority, unlawful detention or violations of the law are confirmed, the responsible officials must face legal and disciplinary accountability. The assembly session was adjourned until Friday due to a lack of quorum.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, the ruling party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, separately condemned the police treatment of Afridi. Party representatives called the incident a conspiracy to weaken the federation and foment hostility between provinces, and also said it had insulted 40.5 million residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
