PTI Erupts in Anger Over KP Government’s Dismissal as Peshawar Turns Into a Battleground

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has called for a strong political uprising against the federal government’s decision to effectively dismiss the elected government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and impose governor’s rule in the province.

The party’s senior leaders have described the federal government’s move as a “direct attack on the Constitution” and a “planned civil-military coup.” PTI has warned that it will resist the imposed administration through mass protests, arguing that the move undermines the democratic mandate of millions of people.

In a strongly worded statement, the party said the unelected and disconnected federal government had chosen this authoritarian path to cover up its political failures and undermine Imran Khan’s immense popularity.

PTI Secretary-General Omar Ayub Khan and other senior leaders expressed anger over the decision, saying the party had formed the government in Pakhtun Province with a clear mandate from the people. They alleged that the federal government had handed control of the province to an unelected representative under the cover of darkness, bypassing the elected chief minister and cabinet without respecting constitutional procedures. They described the move as a blatant insult to democracy.

PTI leaders said they would challenge the unconstitutional decision in the Supreme Court and launch a full-scale mass movement from Peshawar to Islamabad. The party has demanded the immediate withdrawal of governor’s rule and the restoration of the elected provincial government.

Meanwhile, security forces have launched an unprecedented crackdown on PTI following the implementation of governor’s rule in Pakhtun Province. Police have taken at least eight senior party leaders into custody, including prominent leader Sohail Afridi, a candidate for the chief minister’s post, and provincial president Junaid Akbar.

The arrests of elected representatives and senior party figures immediately after the provincial government was removed have heightened tensions across Pakhtun Province, leaving the province on edge. Police and local administration sources said security forces began a sweeping operation to locate PTI leaders after governor’s rule was announced, citing the need to maintain law and order. Besides Sohail Afridi and Junaid Akbar, those detained include influential provincial assembly members and senior organisational leaders.

They were reportedly taken to undisclosed locations under heavy police guard and placed under surveillance. As news of the arrests spread, thousands of PTI supporters and ordinary citizens took to the streets in the provincial capital, Peshawar, as well as in Mardan, Swat and other cities.

PTI has described the crackdown as the “final nail in the coffin of democracy” and a “planned civil-military coup.” The party’s central leadership has vowed to mount strong street protests against governor’s rule and what it calls illegal arrests, while also challenging the measures in the higher courts.

Political analysts warn that removing elected political leaders and relying on administrative force in Pakhtun Province could deepen Pakistan’s internal crisis and increase the risk of civil conflict. They also view the federal government’s aggressive approach as a serious blow to the country’s federal unity, particularly as the border province faces security threats and cross-border tensions.

Source: Dawn Online and Jang News.