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PTI’s Protest Call Against Governor’s Rule Draws Lacklustre Response in Peshawar

The PTI protest Peshawar had called against the governor’s rule fizzled on Tuesday, as only a handful of workers turned out at scattered points in the city and dispersed quickly when police arrived.

PTI workers staged brief demonstrations at Nishtarabad, Hashtnagri and Bacha Khan Chowk. At Nishtarabad, the protesters melted away as soon as police reached the spot. The showing was a far cry from the party’s mobilisation claims — and it came on the third day of the federal government’s emergency in the province.

PTI protest Peshawar: a leadership vacuum after Afridi’s detention

The thin turnout reflects a deeper problem for the party: confusion in its ranks after the detention of former chief minister Sohail Afridi. With Afridi in preventive custody, no one has come forward to lead the protests, and party workers appear unsure who is calling the shots.

That vacuum was visible on the streets. Small groups gathered, raised slogans, and left — at Nishtarabad, the mere arrival of police was enough to end the demonstration. For a party that once filled Peshawar’s roads with convoys, the contrast is stark.

Two competing stories about KP’s mood

Tuesday’s flop also sharpens a dispute over how the province is actually reacting to the emergency. On Monday evening, federal minister Amir Muqam claimed that the PTI government’s departure had triggered no widespread protests — and alleged that people in some areas had celebrated by distributing sweets and dancing.

That is Muqam’s political claim, and it should be read as one. But Tuesday’s empty streets do lend it a degree of awkward support. If the party cannot muster more than a handful of workers in its own provincial capital three days into the emergency imposed on Oct 11, its claims of mass public anger ring hollow.

The PTI, for its part, points to the crackdown: police raids, detained leaders, and containers blocking roads make protest nearly impossible, it argues. Both explanations can be partly true — repression suppresses turnout, and suppressed turnout makes the repression look unnecessary.

The emergency’s third day

The protest call came as the governor’s rule entered its third day, with the 11-member advisory board under Ishaq Dar running provincial affairs and legal challenges mounting — including the JUI-F’s Senate resolution against the move.

How long the PTI can sustain street pressure without its leadership on the ground is now the open question. Tuesday’s answer: not much. For the federal government, the quiet streets look like vindication. For the PTI, they are evidence of a crackdown that has left the party leaderless at the worst possible moment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where did PTI workers protest in Peshawar?

Small groups of PTI workers staged brief protests at Nishtarabad, Hashtnagri and Bacha Khan Chowk in Peshawar on Tuesday.

Why was the turnout so low?

Only a handful of workers turned out, and they dispersed when police arrived. Party ranks are in confusion after the detention of former chief minister Sohail Afridi, with no clear leadership for the protests.

What is the PTI protesting against?

The party is protesting the federal government’s emergency and governor’s rule imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Oct 11.