Federal emergency proclamation suspends PTI provincial government amid political crisis and security tensions; party denounces move as victimisation.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has been reportedly taken into custody hours after Pakistan’s federal government imposed an emergency and governor’s rule in the province, effectively suspending the elected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) administration.
President Asif Ali Zardari approved the measures on Sunday under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, acting on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet. The proclamation places the province under the control of Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, who has assumed administrative authority, with an advisory council expected to assist. Officials described the step as necessary due to a “deliberate disengagement” by the provincial government from counterterrorism efforts, rising militant incidents, and a breakdown in centre-province coordination on security.
PTI Claims Sohail Afridi Detained:
PTI leaders quickly claimed that Afridi, who had been leading a long march towards Islamabad demanding the release of jailed party founder Imran Khan, was detained along with provincial party president Junaid Akbar and other figures. An aide travelling with Afridi, Shafi Jan, and several party spokespersons said the chief minister had been taken into custody. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja stated that the party did not know Afridi’s location or condition, while the party issued a statement condemning the action as “political victimisation” aimed at weakening the elected provincial leadership and democratic institutions.
Federal officials have offered differing characterisations. Some sources indicated Afridi and Akbar were placed under house arrest under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order ordinance. Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar described Afridi’s status as “protective custody” rather than formal arrest, while State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said certain individuals had been detained for law-and-order reasons and that those not wanted in criminal cases would be released. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said any formal arrests would be publicly announced.
The development marks the culmination of weeks of escalating confrontation. Afridi, a PTI lawmaker from the former tribal areas who took office as chief minister in October 2025, had been leading a provincial long march that began in early October from Lakki Marwat. The campaign sought Khan’s release, better medical access for him, and changes to federal counterterrorism policy, which the KP government accused of failing the province after years of heavy sacrifices against militancy. Afridi had repeatedly rejected the possibility of governor’s rule or emergency measures, calling them illegal and warning of public resistance. He had also clashed with Governor Kundi over administrative matters and called for legislation allowing the impeachment of a governor.
KP Governor’s Rule Sparks Political Showdown:
The federal government, for its part, accused the PTI administration of obstructing security operations and failing to treat the militant threat with sufficient seriousness. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar indicated the emergency arrangement would initially last six months, with the provincial assembly’s functions suspended.
Troops and additional security forces have been deployed in the province, and reports emerged of further detentions of PTI figures, including claims that former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur was placed under house arrest. PTI has urged supporters to mobilise in response, while the party’s leadership in Islamabad has labelled the entire sequence of events a “grave political mistake.”
The imposition of governor’s rule removes PTI’s last remaining provincial government and intensifies the long-running standoff between the federal coalition and Imran Khan’s party. As questions persist over Afridi’s exact legal status and location, the political temperature in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and beyond remains high, with both sides digging in over competing narratives of security necessity versus democratic overreach.