ISLAMABAD: After claims of a sitting lawmaker’s family member seeking asylum abroad surfaced, the opposition PTI claimed that the son of its Khyber MNA had been forced to flee the country due to harassment and the fear of detention.

The matter came to light after a recent meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, when State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry alleged that MNA Iqbal Afridi’s son had sought asylum in Italy.

The minister alleged that the young man held a diplomatic passport, and proceeded to Italy via a European nation that does not require Pakistanis who hold official passports to obtain a visa before arrival.

Speaking to reporters

on Wednesday, Mr Afridi said there is no peace or security in the country, and questioned why only his son was being criticised, when so many others had also sought asylum abroad.

Mr Afridi went on to say that if he got the opportunity, he might also consider seeking asylum himself.

In a subsequent video uploaded to his X account, the Khyber MNA said that his son was a 28-year-old adult who was responsible for his own affairs.

“My son has gone because of their high-handedness. You should be sympathising with me, as I have lost my son,” he said. He blamed the current government and institutions for driving him to take this step.

Speaking to Dawn on Wednesday, PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram said he had spoken to Mr Afridi, and denied the claim that his son held a blue passport. According to the rules, only dependents — which include children below 18 years and spouses of MNAs — can carry blue passports, he said.

Mr Iqbal’s son did not have one, and this is why he had to travel to at least four countries before finally reaching Italy, he claimed, adding that the lawmaker could not be held responsible for the act­ions of his adult son. “It is a fact that whenever they used to come to arrest Iqbal Afri­­di, they picked up his son. He was left with no option but to leave the country.

“They should think about this and feel embarrassed over why people are leaving Pakistan and seeking political asylum,” Mr Akram said.

The development comes a day after a bill was introduced in the Senate, seeking to allow parliamentarians to retain gratis official passports for life. Another proposed amendment seeks a similar facility for the children of lawmakers as well.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2026