Government buildings torched as PTI protest against governor's rule turns violent in Bara

A protest against the federal takeover of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa turned violent in Bara on Tuesday, when Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers clashed with police and government buildings were set on fire. It was the most serious unrest since the Centre imposed governor’s rule in the province and emergency rule in 12 of its districts on Sunday.

The protest began in the afternoon at Khyber Chowk in Bara Bazaar, in Khyber district, with scores of party workers. Police first used baton charges and tear gas. When local provincial assembly member Abdul Ghani Afridi arrived with more supporters, the crowd pushed the police back. Some officers took shelter in nearby shops and were reported to have been dragged out. Police then fired tear gas and live rounds into the air.

The office of NADRA, the national identity authority, and part of the Rescue 1122 building nearby were reported to have been torched. A doctor at Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar said more than a dozen injured people had been brought in, four of them policemen. All roads into Bara Bazaar were closed after the crowd was dispersed.

Rival arrest counts

The Peshawar police said 50 “miscreant elements” who “attempted to spread unrest” had been arrested. Samar Haroon Bilour, the province’s newly appointed information adviser, put the figure at 42 people linked to the PTI, and said 25 of them were Afghans living in Pakistan illegally. She accused the protesters of destroying public property.

Shehbaz rallies his partners

In Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met allied parties, including the MQM-P, PML-Q, the Balochistan Awami Party and the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party, all of whom backed the decision. “We made every effort to avoid taking this extreme step in any way,” he said.

Shehbaz said the federal government had given Khyber Pakhtunkhwa more than Rs800 billion for counterterrorism, and that the province had failed to strengthen its Counter-Terrorism Department. He called the PTI’s long march for Imran Khan’s release a “conspiracy to destroy the country’s improving economy”.

In the Senate, PTI parliamentary leader Ali Zafar called governor’s rule “a political crisis disguised as a security solution”. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the measures were constitutional and alleged that PTI leaders had been in contact with the Pakistani Taliban, promising evidence “when required”. No evidence of such links has been made public.

A brother in court

Sohail Afridi, the chief minister now sidelined under governor’s rule, was taken away on Sunday. His brother, Muhammad Amir, petitioned the Peshawar High Court on Tuesday to trace him, alleging that Afridi was taken from the Chief Minister’s House by “unidentified armed and masked individuals” in the presence of the Peshawar police chief. The government has said Afridi and some ministers are in preventive custody.

PTI information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said the party would challenge the emergency and governor’s rule in court. “The long march has not ended. But a historic crackdown against the party has begun,” he said.

What comes next

The emergency proclamation has to be put before both houses of Parliament within 10 days. Governor’s rule goes to a joint sitting and lapses after two months unless approved. The National Assembly meets again at 11 am local time on Wednesday, when Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has said political debate will be allowed.