Punjab Government Mishandles Everything, Making Sohail Afridi an Unnecessary Hero
Sanaullah Nagra (@) | September 16, 2026
Pakistan Peoples Party leader Sharmila Faruqui criticized the Punjab government’s handling of various issues, stating that their actions have unnecessarily elevated Sohail Afridi to a hero in the province.
##Lahore, Pakistan:
Faruqui expressed her views on Samaa News’ program, highlighting the PML-N government’s mishandling of affairs and the sudden elevation of Sohail Afridi as a Punjab hero. She noted that Afridi had also visited Sindh and addressed people in Larkana, which Bilawal Bhutto had welcomed. This, she suggested, indicated panic within the Punjab government.
"If the Punjab government is so incapable," Faruqui questioned, "then it’s providing opportunities to others." She contrasted Sindh’s calm response to severe criticism with Punjab’s actions.
Criticism of Sohail Afridi:
Ikhtiar Wali, Prime Minister’s Coordinator, agreed that Afridi’s conduct was not befitting a chief minister’s office. He described Afridi as looking more like a traffic warden than a leader. Shahid Khattak, a PTI leader, echoed this sentiment, stating that Punjab, particularly Lahore, had become a police state, and Afridi’s safety was at risk.
Relief on Petroleum Products:
Sharmila Faruqui also addressed the need for relief on petroleum products, arguing that no ministry is necessary for this if the petroleum and diesel levy is reduced. She claimed that this tax is non-revenue and intended to cover government deficits. According to her, recovering half of the Rs700 billion tax leakage within the Federal Board of Revenue would eliminate the need for the levy.
Faruqui proposed reducing the dealer margin by Rs10 and suggested taking extraordinary measures in special circumstances. She criticized the distribution companies for consuming public money while gas and electricity debts remained unpaid.
"The government has found an easy way to take money from people’s pockets," she stated, advocating for the abolition of the Rs80 petroleum levy to provide genuine relief to the public. Faruqui accused federal ministers of fooling the public while doing little to address these issues.
