Pakistan declares emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, detains 278 PTI members
Pakistani authorities have detained at least 278 members of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party following the declaration of emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday. The federal government suspended the PTI-led provincial administration, citing security concerns in the border region affected by militant attacks. The action followed large-scale protests demanding Khan's release and coincided with school closures and significant internet disruptions.
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Pakistani authorities have detained hundreds of members of former prime minister Imran Khan's party following the imposition of emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PTI's provincial stronghold. According to police officials, 278 members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were detained after the federal government declared emergency measures on Sunday.
The federal government disbanded the PTI-led provincial government under these emergency measures, which officials justified by citing deteriorating security conditions in the border province. The region faces ongoing threats from militant groups. The crackdown followed major protests in which citizens demanded the release of Khan, who remains imprisoned.
In Peshawar, the provincial capital, authorities deployed police forces extensively and established checkpoints constructed from shipping containers and razor wire to restrict access to the administrative district. Schools were closed on the first full day of emergency rule, and the digital rights monitor Netblocks documented "major disruption to internet connectivity" across parts of the province overnight. Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi and other provincial officials were among those detained.
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