Tear gas and reports of live fire in Bara as demonstrators demand release of Sohail Afridi and end to emergency measures in Imran Khan’s stronghold.
Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have taken to the streets in Khyber district and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to protest the imposition of governor’s rule and the detention of provincial Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, with clashes breaking out between demonstrators and police.
Violence was reported on Tuesday in Bara, about 15km from the provincial capital Peshawar and the hometown of Afridi, where PTI supporters gathered to denounce the federal government’s suspension of the elected provincial administration. Local party leaders and videos shared by the PTI alleged that police used baton charges, tear gas and live rounds against what they described as a peaceful protest. At least five people were reported injured in the clashes.
PTI Protests Erupt After Governor’s Rule in KP:
The demonstrations follow President Asif Ali Zardari’s decision on Sunday to declare a state of emergency and impose governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Articles 232 and 234 of the constitution. The move suspended the PTI-led provincial government, which had held power in the province for 13 years, and placed administration under the federally appointed governor. The federal government cited a deteriorating security situation and accused the provincial authorities of failing to support counterterrorism operations against Islamist militants.
Shortly after the announcement, Afridi, a close ally of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and several cabinet members were taken into custody at the chief minister’s residence in Peshawar. Security forces sealed off the area with police, paramilitary personnel and shipping containers. The government described the detentions as preventive or protective custody; the PTI insists Afridi has been arrested and has demanded his immediate release. PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar and other leaders were also reported detained.
PTI supporters had been marching through the province for days in a “long march” led by Afridi, demanding Khan’s release from jail and criticising the federal approach to security operations along the Afghan border. The party maintains the emergency measures were timed to prevent the march from reaching Islamabad and to dismantle its last remaining provincial power base. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan described the intervention as a “black day” for democracy and said the party would challenge the governor’s rule in the Peshawar High Court while continuing peaceful protests.
In the days since the emergency was imposed, authorities have tightened security across the province. Schools have been closed in some areas, internet services partially restricted, roads blocked with shipping containers, and additional security forces deployed. Police have arrested dozens of PTI workers in Swabi, Khyber and other districts. Most remaining PTI leaders in the province have gone into hiding, according to reports.
KP Governor’s Rule Sparks Political and Legal Showdown:
The federal government has rejected accusations of political victimisation, arguing that the measures were necessary because of rising militant violence and the provincial government’s alleged “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told the Senate that the emergency and governor’s rule did not violate the constitution. A technocratic council has been formed to assist administration, and the army has been tasked with helping maintain order.
Opposition parties, including the Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayin-i-Pakistan alliance, have condemned the move as an assault on provincial autonomy and the public mandate. They have vowed to contest it through the courts, parliament and public forums. A petition has already been filed in the Peshawar High Court seeking clarification of Afridi’s whereabouts and his recovery.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, home to roughly 40 million people and bordering Afghanistan, has long been a PTI stronghold and a focal point of Pakistan’s security challenges. The latest confrontation deepens the political crisis surrounding the incarceration of Imran Khan and raises further questions about the balance between federal authority, provincial democracy and counterterrorism priorities.
As protests continue and legal challenges unfold, both sides show little sign of de-escalation, leaving ordinary residents of the province caught between political confrontation and the ongoing threat of militancy.