Several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders have reportedly been arrested following President Asif Ali Zardari’s approval of emergency measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, intensifying the political confrontation between the federal government and the party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.
PTI parliamentary leader Shahid Khattak claimed on Sunday that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, provincial party president Junaid Akbar and other party leaders had been taken into custody by police and security agencies.
Khattak shared the claims on social media and urged PTI supporters to gather in Peshawar to protest the developments and demonstrate their support for Imran Khan. He also called on supporters in southern districts, including Karak, to join the protest mobilisation. HUM News English
The reported arrests have not been independently confirmed in the available reports. The identities of all those allegedly detained and the circumstances surrounding their detention remain unclear.
Emergency Rule Suspends PTI-Led Provincial Government
The reported detentions follow the federal government’s decision to impose emergency measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province governed by PTI.
President Zardari approved the federal cabinet’s recommendation on Sunday, October 11, placing the provincial administration under federal authority through the governor.
The federal government justified the move by citing the deteriorating security situation and accusing the provincial government of failing to adequately support counterterrorism efforts.
PTI has rejected the federal government’s action. Party spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari condemned the decision, arguing that it undermined the province’s elected government and could deepen political instability. AP News
Assembly Speaker Raises Concerns Over Lawmakers’ Detentions
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati had previously alleged that 11 members of the National and Provincial Assemblies—eight provincial lawmakers and three members of the National Assembly—had been abducted or arrested.
He also raised concerns about reported raids on the homes of party members and provincial ministers.
The speaker’s allegations came amid growing tensions over the treatment of PTI lawmakers and the security arrangements provided to provincial representatives. UrduPoint
However, the available reports do not establish that the assembly speaker himself has been arrested. His reported statements about other lawmakers should not be interpreted as confirmation of his own detention.
PTI Mobilises Supporters as Political Tensions Escalate
The developments come as PTI has been organising demonstrations and a protest march demanding Imran Khan’s release.
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had previously warned that his party would resist any attempt to impose emergency rule or Governor’s Rule in the province, describing such a move as illegal.
The federal government, meanwhile, has maintained that extraordinary measures are necessary because of the security situation and the threat posed by militant violence.
The latest reports of arrests, if confirmed, could further escalate tensions between Islamabad and PTI, with the party urging supporters to mobilise in response to the developments. Dawn
Were Hundreds of PTI Workers Arrested?
Claims circulating on social media suggest that a large number of PTI leaders and supporters may have been detained amid the emergency measures.
However, the number of people allegedly arrested by the Pakistan Army or other security agencies could not be independently verified from the reports reviewed for this article. No confirmed figure establishing that hundreds of PTI members were arrested by the army was available in those reports.
AALIMI NATION will update this report as reliable information becomes available regarding the identities of those detained, the number of arrests and the authorities involved.
