KP governor’s rule, Sohail Afridi, 7 other PTI leaders in Police custody

PESHAWAR: Eight Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Sohail Afridi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, are in police custody following the imposition of an emergency and governor’s rule in the province, police officials said on Monday.

According to police authorities, PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar is also among those taken into custody, along with other party leaders. Officials described the detentions as being for protective custody, although further details about the circumstances and duration of their detention were not immediately available.

The development comes a day after President Asif Ali Zardari signed the summary for imposing an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The move has introduced a major administrative change in the province, where the provincial government has become non-functional following the emergency measures.

Apex committee to review security situation

Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Apex Committee is scheduled to meet on Monday under the chairmanship of Governor Faisal Karim Kundi.

The meeting is expected to review the province’s security situation in the wake of the emergency and the imposition of governor’s rule. The committee’s deliberations are likely to focus on the challenges facing the province and the measures required to maintain law and order during the transition.

With the provincial government no longer functioning, Governor Kundi will oversee the province’s administration with the assistance of an 11-member advisory council, according to the report.

The arrangement places the governor at the centre of provincial administration as authorities assess the situation following the federal government’s decision.

Major political development in the province

The detention of senior PTI figures, including the assembly speaker and provincial party president, marks a significant development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s political landscape.

However, police officials have not provided further details about the legal grounds for the individual detentions or whether the leaders will be released after the immediate security situation is reviewed.

The imposition of governor’s rule and the emergency measures also raises questions about the province’s administrative arrangements and the role of the advisory council in managing government affairs.

Further developments are expected after the Apex Committee meeting, where officials will assess security conditions and discuss the way forward.

The situation remains fluid, and additional information from provincial and federal authorities is awaited.