LAHORE: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday announced that the PTI would hold a gathering at Minar-i-Pakistan tomorrow as part of its street movement . On Friday, CM Afridi had spent the first of his three-day trip to Lahore greeting and addressing PTI supporters, who met him at different points en route to the city. Today, he visited the families of jailed PTI leaders whom he was not permitted to meet at Kot Lakhpat jail. The KP chief minister met with the families of Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid and other party leaders. Speaking in the afternoon, CM Afridi referred to claims that the PTI was no more in Punjab and announced a party rally at Minar-i-Pakistan at 6pm tomorrow (Sunday). Without naming the party, he also challenged the PML-N to a contest of who could bring a larger crowd to their gathering in each other’s province. “They can select a ground of their choice. Let’s see who will bring more people,” Afridi said, adding that the rivals could hold their rally next week. “I will also set up the stage for them in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. If they cannot provide transport to the people, I will also provide them with transport. They can hold a jalsa (rally) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and I will hold one in Lahore.” Speaking about his visits earlier in the day, Afridi said the incarcerated PTI leaders were in “wrongful confinement” and were a source of courage for the party. He hailed them for standing with PTI founder Imran Khan despite their health issues and “all the oppression and fascism”. Meeting with Qureshi’s family CM Afridi first visited Qureshi’s home, with visuals released by the PTI on X showing Qureshi’s son Zain and daughter Meher Bano present during the meeting. Addressing the media alongside them, Afridi said, “This is my Pakistan, and wherever I go, I do not need a reason for it.” The chief minister said the aim of his Lahore trip was to meet party leaders. He said that the KP government had written to Punjab for meeting imprisoned party leaders at Kot Lakhpat jail but it “did not respond”. Afridi mentioned the names of multiple incarcerated leaders he wanted to meet and added, “I also wanted to meet the rest of the leadership and workers, but unfortunately, they did not let me meet them.” He went on to say that the Punjab government’s “attitude since yesterday showed low mentality“. Asked whether he thought issues with the federal government could be resolved through talks, CM Afridi said Imran had given the responsibility for “dialogue or protest“ to the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP). The KP CM said that while the TTAP was “making efforts on its end”, which he supported, he had been directed to prepare for a street movement and he would take “those preparations to their peak”. The TTAP on Thursday welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent invitation for talks. However, no concrete steps have so far been taken by the government to initiate a formal talks process, and PTI leaders say they are waiting for the government to make the first move. PM’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has stressed that PM Shehbaz would decide on talks with PTI once the opposition party clarifies its stance on negotiations. Following Afridi’s visit, Zain expressed his heartfelt gratitude to him and other PTI leaders in a post on X. He said the KP CM enquired about Qureshi’s health, “hailed his sacrifices and also visited my mother”. “His visit is a source of encouragement and strength for us.” Other visits Separately, CM Afridi also went to the residences of Yasmin , Ejaz Chaudhry and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed. According to statements by his focal person for digital media Yar Muhammad Khan Niazi, Afridi met Yasmin’s husband Rashid Nabi Malik, and Chaudhry’s wife and children. The KP CM also plans to visit the residences of PTI leader Hammad Azhar, as well as party activists Sanam Javed and Falak Javed . In the evening, he will head to the residence of PTI worker Ali Bilal, also known as Zille Shah , who died during a party protest in 2023. According to PTI lawyer Naeem Panjutha, the KP CM was not able to visit former governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema’s house as it was located in a cantonment and “permission was not being given to enter”. At Rasheed’s residence, KP Local Government Minister Meena Khan Afridi asserted that Punjab stood with Imran and “had always given us affection”. While on his way to Rasheed’s house, Panjutha said there will be lots of people on the streets of Lahore in the evening, and called on the public to take part in the PTI’s movement till Imran’s release. First day in Lahore Afridi had arrived in Lahore on Friday around 4:30pm, from where he made a beeline for the Punjab Assembly. However, the visit to the provincial legislature was marred by altercations between members of his entourage and security officials, while several heated exchanges between PTI leaders and journalists were also witnessed. Although the KP CM managed to reach Liberty Roundabout last night, he was unable to deliver a planned speech at the venue as a heavy contingent of police had blocked all roads leading to the area by setting up pickets. Addressing PTI lawmakers at the Punjab Assembly, he had thanked the people of Punjab for their hospitality, but highlighted his treatment at the hands of the police during the journey to Lahore. “Today, the Punjab Police were rude to our workers at Chakri Interchange, Bhera, Sargodha and Mandi Bahauddin,” he said. “Our workers, our parliamentarians, our leaders — they were harassed and arrested. This cannot be condemned enough.” In separate remarks to the media, Afridi had said he was in Lahore to launch a mass street movement on the instructions of Imran, urging the masses to prepare themselves and confront oppression and fascism without making mistakes. “We will take Imran Khan’s ‘ Haqeeqi Azadi ’ (real independence) movement to its logical conclusion, restore the supremacy of the Constitution and law, and revive an independent judiciary and independent media,” he had asserted.