Clashes at PTI Protest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, at Least 5 Injured

At least five protesters were injured in clashes with police during a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in Bara, Khyber district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Tuesday. A government building was also set on fire. Police said 50 people had been arrested.

According to eyewitnesses cited by Dawn, police fired tear gas shells and shots during the clashes. Protesters were also accused of scuffling with and assaulting police officers. However, a doctor at Hayatabad Medical Complex told Dawn that more than a dozen injured people had been taken to the hospital, including four police officers.

The PTI organised the protest against the imposition of governor’s rule in the province and the declaration of an emergency in 12 districts. The report said governor’s rule had effectively curtailed the authority of PTI leader Mr. Sohail Afridi as chief minister.

A large number of PTI activists gathered at Khyber Chowk in Bara Bazaar in the afternoon. Police arrived at the scene later. Eyewitnesses said police initially tried to disperse the protesters with batons and tear gas. Some protesters left the area, but local lawmaker Mr. Abdul Ghani Afridi later arrived with more supporters.

According to eyewitnesses, the protesters eventually forced police to retreat. Several officers took shelter in nearby shops and commercial buildings. The protesters allegedly dragged some of them outside. Local sources cited by Dawn said police fired tear gas shells and shots into the air to bring the situation under control.

A National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) office and part of a Rescue 1122 building were reportedly set on fire. Police later cleared the protesters from Khyber Chowk. However, all roads leading to Bara Bazaar remained closed after the protest ended.

Leaders of a political alliance in Bara called on PTI activists and police to avoid further violence.

Peshawar Capital City Police said in a statement that 50 people had been arrested in Bara for allegedly attempting to spread unrest.

However, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s newly appointed adviser on information and broadcasting, Ms. Samar Haroon Bilour, said 42 PTI-linked individuals had been arrested for vandalism and disorder. She claimed that 25 of them were Afghan nationals living in Pakistan illegally.

Ms. Bilour alleged that several people, led by PTI leaders, had attempted to create unrest at Bara Chowk and damage government property. She said police had arrested those involved and brought the situation under control.

The media outlet could not independently verify the number of arrests, the extent of the damage or the nationality of those detained.