Tear gas, live rounds fired at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa protesters after emergency

Pakistan's government has a history of failing to resolve political confrontations through dialogue, instead resorting to extraordinary powers to crush dissent and tighten its grip on power. Shehbaz Sharif's government has now taken direct control of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by removing the functioning authority of a provincial administration led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and invoking the threat of militant violence to justify the move.

The crackdown has been followed by clashes between police and supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. PTI leaders and supporters have been detained, including former chief minister Sohail Afridi. According to PTI, police fired tear gas and live rounds at the supporters.

The central government imposed governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday, citing rising militant violence and accusing the provincial administration, led by PTI, of failing to act decisively against terrorism. The PTI, however, has called it a political takeover.

The intervention has effectively ended the functioning of the PTI-led provincial government, adding to the pressure on Khan, who has been in prison since 2023. The latest developments have also raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the detention of provincial leaders and the extent of federal control over the province.

CLASHES ERUPT AS PROTESTERS CHALLENGE EMERGENCY RULE

Violence broke out on Tuesday as PTI supporters protested against the suspension of their party's provincial government. Five people were injured, with the most serious clashes reported in Bara, around 15 km from the provincial capital, Peshawar.

PTI's regional leadership also shared a statement and video of the incident, alleging that police used batons, fired tear gas shells and opened fire during what it described as a peaceful protest in Bara.

In its statement, the party condemned what it called "direct firing by police on a peaceful protest", along with the use of tear gas and baton charges. It accused the authorities of using force against unarmed citizens and political workers, arguing that the action violated their right to peaceful protest.

"Voices cannot be silenced by raining bullets on unarmed citizens and political workers," the PTI statement said, describing the police action as "blatant oppression".

Police said 50 people had been detained and would face charges related to terrorism and sabotage over damage to government property and the disruption of law and order.

OFFICIALS DENIES POLICE FIRING

However, Samar Haroon Bilour, who handles information for the provincial administration, told news agency Reuters that allegations of police firing live rounds were "baseless and frivolous". She claimed the allegations were being spread by social media accounts using AI-generated footage.

Another police official told that protesters set fire to a Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) centre in Bara. PTI information secretary Ikram Khatana disputed that account, saying unidentified people had started the fire and stormed nearby offices.

The federal government has argued that direct control will allow security forces and the new administration to coordinate their counterterrorism operations more effectively. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has accused the suspended provincial administration of working "hand in glove" with the Pakistani Taliban, claiming the government has "solid evidence" to support the allegation.

The PTI has rejected the accusations.

SHEHBAZ DEFENDS EXTREME STEP, ACCUSES PTI OF NEGLECTING SECURITY

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sought to justify the decision, telling allies from the ruling coalition on Tuesday that the federal government had exhausted efforts to avoid imposing governor's rule.

"We made every effort to avoid taking this extreme step in any way. We engaged in negotiations with an open heart, but did not receive a positive response from the other side," he was quoted as saying in local media.

Sharif held separate meetings with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and a parliamentary delegation representing the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) and PML-Zia. According to the his Office, both groups expressed support for the federal government’s decision.

He accused the PTI-led administration of failing to take an unequivocal position against militant groups, while terrorist attacks continued to target civilians and security personnel.

He also claimed the federal government had provided more than PKR 800 billion to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the Finance Commission arrangements. Despite that funding, he alleged, the provincial administration had failed to strengthen its Counter-Terrorism Department or establish Safe City projects to improve surveillance and security.

Addressing a parliamentary meeting of his PML-N party, Sharif said the decision followed the collapse of negotiations between the government and the opposition on October 3. He claimed the two sides had been close to reaching an agreement, with a draft prepared on the basis of consensus. However, he said, the PTI delegation sought more time to consult Afridi, whose role as chief minister subsequently became non-functional following the imposition of governor's rule.

Sharif alleged that the opposition had been unwilling to accept a settlement and instead wanted to escalate protests.

"They were ordered that you have to create another May 9, even go beyond it and wreak havoc; you must not accept anything," he said, as quoted by Dawn.

The prime minister was referring to the May 9, 2023, riots that followed Khan's arrest and involved attacks on military installations.

ELECTED CHIEF MINISTER ABDUCTED?

The confrontation has also moved to the courts, with a petition filed in the Peshawar High Court seeking the immediate recovery of KP's former CM Afridi and clarification about his whereabouts. The petition was filed on Tuesday by Afridi's brother, Muhammad Amir, two days after the emergency was imposed. It alleged that armed and masked individuals had abducted the former chief minister in the presence of the Peshawar Capital City Police Officer. According to the PTI, three days have passed since Afridi was detained, but he has not been produced before a court.

The petitioner argued that the alleged abduction of an elected chief minister amounted to a violation of the Constitution, the law and fundamental human rights. He asked the court to establish where Afridi was being held, identify those responsible for his detention and determine the legal authority under which he was allegedly being held.

The petition also sought an independent investigation, claiming that Afridi's life and liberty were under serious threat.

NEW COMMITTEE TO OVERSEE GOVERNANCE

Meanwhile, Sharif has formed an 11-member committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar to oversee governance and security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to a report by Dawn.

The committee was formed informally, and no official notification had been issued, the newspaper reported, citing a source close to the prime minister. It will monitor the province’s governance and security situation daily and report to Sharif. The committee will also coordinate with the new administrative setup and assist it in carrying out its responsibilities, including counterterrorism operations.

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With inputs from agencies