Prime Minister‘s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Friday said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi is engaging in “illegal activity and travel” by trying to mobilise the party’s support base for a nationwide street movement.

The KP chief executive is currently in Karachi as part of the PTI’s plans to launch a street movement, as per the directions of party founder Imran Khan.

Speaking on the Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada ke Saath’, the PM’s aide said that the PTI was in no position to launch a street movement and described their upcoming nationwide wheel-jam strike on February 8 as “violence”.

“They cannot mobilise because it isn’t in accordance with the law. The KP CM is involved in illegal activity and his travel is illegal,” Sanaullah said.

When asked what part of CM Afridi’s visit was illegal, Sanaullah replied: “How is a wheel-jam strike a political activity permitted by the law and Constitution? Holding a wheel-jam strike in and of itself is illegal.”

Sanaullah added that the Sindh government “would not permit a wheel-jam strike” and that the PTI “is not in a position to block even one road.”

Adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister on information, Shafiullah Jan — also a guest on the programme — responded to Sanaullah, clarifying that the February 8 wheel-jam strike was called by Mahmood Khan Achakzai, chairman of the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan opposition alliance.

“Rana Sanaullah is confused; he issued a statement saying that if the call [to strike] isn’t revoked, May 9 cases will be opened,” he claimed, referring to the prosecution of PTI members over riots that occurred on May 9, 2023. “This shows that May 9 was a false flag operation against the PTI.“

“As far as February 8 is concerned, the PTI will support and accept Achakzai’s call for a wheel-jam,” Jan added.

Sanaullah stated that the PTI’s street movement would not be successful and that “only a handful of people from KP” might join in.

“When these people are prosecuted, they will create a ruckus,” the PM’s aide said.

“These people are still claiming that May 9 was a false flag operation and that their members weren’t involved. They are willing to spread lies and create misunderstandings. Tell me, can you believe what they say?”

Sanaullah also questioned what movement the PTI would lead.

“With this wheel-jam strike, they say that KP will lead it. What are they leading?” he asked.

“At most 4,500 people turned up at their Peshawar rally, even though they had been preparing for a month.”

“In KP, they will try, but they will fail, and whoever takes part will continue to cry about false flags and fake cases when they get prosecuted,” the PM’s aide added.

The KP CM, during his three-day visit, will meet with the party leadership, as well as lawyers and business leaders, and hold a meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.

The visit is aimed at energising the party’s newly launched street movement in Karachi and other cities seeking the release of the incarcerated former prime minister.