Pakistan has detained the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Sohail Afridi, and hundreds of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's supporters after imposing emergency rule in the northern province, a stronghold of Khan's PTI party.
"Yes, I can confirm that the chief minister (Sohail Afridi) and some of his cabinet members have been taken into preventive custody," federal junior interior minister Talal Chaudhry told Reuters on Monday. He added that the detentions took place on Sunday.
The move came after the federal government suspended the provincial government and declared a state of emergency following widespread protests and violence in the province. The step effectively gives Islamabad direct control over the region.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, is known as a major bastion of support for Imran Khan, the former prime minister and leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The detentions mark a significant escalation in the political standoff between Pakistan's federal government and Khan's party.
This political confrontation has been ongoing since Khan was ousted from power in 2022, with his party demanding early elections. The mass arrests are likely to provoke a stronger reaction from PTI supporters and fuel further political instability in the country.
Talal Chaudhry also stated that those facing specific cases would be charged and tried, while others held in preventive custody might be released. These developments could have significant security implications for the region, especially along the border with Afghanistan.
Source: Reuters
🌐
