Pakistan detains PTI leaders after imposing emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Pakistan imposed emergency rule and suspended the PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, detaining its chief minister and other party figures. Federal officials cited a failure to curb militancy, while Imran Khan’s party said the move aimed to stop supporters marching to demand his release.
theguardian.comPakistan detains hundreds of politicians from Imran Khan’s PTI party
npr.orgPakistan imposes emergency rule in former prime minister's stronghold
Emergency rule and detentions
President Asif Ali Zardari declared emergency rule on Sunday and suspended the government of north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, led by Sohail Afridi, an ally of imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan. The province was governed by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Government minister Talal Chaudhry confirmed that the chief minister and some cabinet members were taken into preventive custody at the chief minister’s house in Peshawar. He said those with cases against them would be charged and tried, while others would be released. Khan’s three sisters and hundreds of supporters were also detained before a planned march to Islamabad.
Dispute over the reasons
The federal government said emergency rule followed the provincial administration’s failure to tackle Islamist militancy in the province, which borders Afghanistan and has experienced increasing militant attacks in recent months. PTI denied failing to curb the violence and said the intervention was intended to deter supporters from marching to demand Khan’s release.
Law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said talks broke down because PTI would not agree to publicly condemn militancy and join the government’s fight against militants. He said the government had been ready to accept the party’s demands, including permission for the march.
Protests and provincial control
Khan’s supporters had rallied for days in the province a week before emergency rule, seeking his release and medical treatment. His aide Shaukat Yousafzai condemned the detentions and demanded the politicians’ release.
Pakistan’s constitution allows the government to take over provincial authority during an emergency. Tarar said the provincial governor would take charge. Witnesses and officials reported heavy police and paramilitary deployments, with shipping containers cordoning off the chief minister’s house and nearby facilities.
