WAZIRABAD: The Punjab government on Wednesday rejected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s claim that an assassination attempt against him was foiled in Wazirabad, saying the man detained near him was a police constable deployed on security duty, not an alleged assassin.
In a video statement, the KP chief minister claimed that an armed man in plain clothes had been sent to kill him. Without naming anyone allegedly responsible, Afridi said his security team had caught the man, recovered a pistol from him and handed him over to the local police.
He also shared a photograph of the alleged attacker.
“An assassin was sent in plain clothes with the intention of killing me. When my security team caught him, a pistol was recovered from him,” Afridi said.
He further alleged that the police had snatched their food and that electricity to the house where they were staying had been disconnected.
In a separate statement, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said that its founder Imran Khan had previously survived an assassination attempt in Wazirabad, alleging that the Punjab government was “afraid” of the public popularity of Khan and the KP chief minister.
Gujranwala police reject claim
The Gujranwala City Police Officer (CPO) rejected the KP chief minister’s claim, saying the man identified as the alleged attacker was actually a police constable deployed for security duty.
In a statement on X, Gujranwala Police said Constable Muqadas Ali was “deployed on security duty for the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” and was subjected to a severe physical assault by members of the chief minister’s protection team.
انکے پاگل پن کا اندازہ لگائیں،مقدس علی کانسٹیبل جو ڈیوٹی پہ موجود تھا،اسکو کہا جارہا ہے کہ مجھے مارنے آیا ہے ،جبکہ ایس ایچ او بھی تصویر میں نظر آرہا ہے جس کی موجودگی میں کانسٹیبل کو مارا پیٹا جارہا ہے،پولیس ڈیوٹی کارڈ بھی موجود ہے
اللہ جانے وزیر آباد جاتے ہی ان پہ پاگل پن کے دورے… https://t.co/JvDAljK2lR pic.twitter.com/d1wBbAwpUv— Azma Zahid Bokhari (@AzmaBokhariPMLN) September 16, 2026
The police said that Constable Muqadas Ali had identified himself at the scene and presented his official departmental identity card, clearly stating that he was deployed on security duty for the KP chief minister. Despite this, he was allegedly physically assaulted, the statement said.
According to the police, the constable was allegedly assaulted in the presence of the SHO City Wazirabad, who intervened and, after considerable effort, rescued him. The SHO’s presence could also be seen in footage and photographs from the scene, the statement added.
“Following the incident, claims portraying Constable Muqadas Ali as a ‘killer’ emerged from representatives of the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the police said, adding that the claims “misrepresent the facts” despite the constable’s identity having already been established and his departmental identity card having been presented.
Gujranwala Police said it categorically rejected the “baseless and factually incorrect portrayal” of its personnel, adding that misrepresenting facts and portraying a police officer deployed on official duty as a killer was “strongly condemnable.”
Punjab minister rejects claim
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari also rejected the KP chief minister’s claim, saying the man shown in the images was Constable Muqadas Ali, who was performing his official duty.
She said the SHO was also visible in the photographs and alleged that the constable was beaten in the officer’s presence.
Bukhari also referred to the constable’s police duty card, saying it established his identity.
Earlier ‘abduction’ claim
The latest allegation came two days after Afridi claimed on Monday that he had been “abducted” by authorities in Lahore and later “thrown” by the roadside.
“We were abducted, and then, when they received pressure from somewhere, they threw me by the roadside without security and left,” Afridi had claimed.
The allegation was also denied by Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari, who said the KP chief minister had boarded a police vehicle voluntarily.
In a video shared by Bukhari, Afridi can be seen walking towards and boarding the police vehicle. He later refuses to get out, while an individual can be heard asking him to leave the vehicle.
