One killed, several injured in clashes during protest against governor’s rule in Pakistan’s Khyber district
By Mashal Khan
PESHAWAR, Pakistan - At least one person was killed and several others injured during clashes between police and supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party protesting against the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, local officials and party representatives said Tuesday.
Violence erupted in Bara Bazaar in Khyber district, near the Afghan border, where demonstrators clashed with police, set fire to a government office and allegedly detained 15 police personnel, according to Khyber district police chief Waqar Ahmed.
PTI lawmaker Iqbal Afridi said one party worker had been killed and 11 others injured during the protest. The reported death and casualty figures could not be independently verified, and authorities had not released a confirmed overall toll by Tuesday evening.
The demonstration was held amid growing political tensions over the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the PTI was in power.
According to the district police chief, hundreds of PTI supporters gathered in Bara Bazaar around midday. Police used tear gas and fired warning shots into the air to disperse the crowd, temporarily bringing the demonstration under control.
About 90 minutes later, another rally led by provincial lawmaker Abdul Ghani moved from Minar Chowk towards Bara Chowk. Protesters raised slogans against the government and set fire to traffic signals, the police chief said.
However, MNA Afridi rejected the police claim and said they (officials) entered some miscreants inside the PTI peaceful rally, and they carried out violence and set fire to government buildings.
As tensions escalated, demonstrators allegedly detained 15 police personnel inside the tehsil municipal office and seized their weapons and uniforms. The police chief said the officers remained in the protesters’ custody at the time of his account. However, Afridi also rejected this police claim and said PTI workers didn't detain any police officer.
Protesters also set fire to a National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) office in Bara and pelted a rescue service office with stones, according to the police account.
Police again used tear gas and fired warning shots to disperse the demonstrators. Two PTI workers were reported injured by tear gas shells during the day’s clashes.
Separately, reports emerged of several people, including two children, suffering gunshot wounds in Bara Bazaar. Their total number and medical conditions remained unclear.
The Pakistan International Human Rights Organisation’s Khyber district representative, Islam Badshah, condemned what the group described as police firing and baton charges against peaceful demonstrators.
In a statement, the organisation said reports indicated that a civilian had been killed and many others injured.
The group called for an immediate, transparent and impartial investigation, legal action against anyone found responsible for excessive force, medical treatment for the injured and compensation for the family of the reported victim.
It also urged authorities to prevent further escalation and resolve the dispute through negotiations.
- Protests spread to Jamrud
Protests against governor’s rule and emergency measures were also reported near the historic Bab-e-Khyber monument in Jamrud, another area of Khyber district.
Demonstrators there chanted slogans against the government’s action. Further details about the protest and any casualties were not immediately available.
The unrest comes amid escalating tensions between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration. The party has opposed the imposition of governor’s rule, which significantly altered the province’s existing governance arrangements.
By Tuesday evening, the situation in parts of Khyber district remained tense, as the extent of damage to public property and the final number of casualties still unclear.
Authorities had yet to provide a comprehensive public account of the reported death and injuries
- Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and Speaker Babar Saleem missing
Separately, petitions have been filed in the Peshawar High Court seeking the recovery of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and provincial assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, alleging that both were abducted by armed, masked men in the presence of Peshawar’s Capital City Police Officer (CCPO).
Afridi’s brother, Muhammad Aamir, and Swati’s cousin, Waqar Ahmed Khan, approached the court under Article 199 of Pakistan’s Constitution, seeking their immediate recovery and production before the court.
The petitions allege that the two elected officials face serious threats to their safety and that their alleged detention violates constitutional and fundamental rights.
They also ask the court to order independent investigations, preserve CCTV footage and security records, and require police officials to explain their whereabouts and the legal basis for their alleged detention.
