PTI Bara Protest Turns Violent as Police Fire Tear Gas, Live Rounds
Police fired tear gas and live rounds at supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, after a PTI Bara protest against the suspension of the party’s provincial government turned violent. Five people were injured in the clashes, the worst of them in Bara, about 15 kilometres from Peshawar.
Police said 50 people were detained and would face terrorism and sabotage charges over damage to government property and disturbing law and order, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
What happened at the PTI Bara protest
The PTI Bara protest was organised against the federal government’s decision to impose a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and place the province under direct federal control. Demonstrators took to the streets in Bara, a town in the Khyber district on the outskirts of Peshawar.
Clashes erupted as the protest moved through the town. Police used tear gas shells and fired rounds to disperse the crowd, according to party officials quoted by Reuters.
A police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said protesters set fire to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) centre in Bara. PTI information secretary Ikram Khatana gave a different account, saying unidentified people started the blaze and also stormed nearby offices.
Dawn reported that five protesters were injured and government buildings were set ablaze, with police confirming 50 arrests in connection with the unrest.
Why the province is under emergency rule
The federal government imposed the emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday, citing a surge in militant violence, and placed the province under direct federal control. The move brought down the PTI’s administration in the province, the only provincial government the party held.
The PTI has rejected the official justification and described the emergency as a pretext for a political takeover. The decision was taken after a federal cabinet meeting approved the move, and it has drawn sharp reactions across the political spectrum. The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) has moved a resolution in the Senate against the decision, while the PPP has laid out its own position on the emergency.
The Senate has also seen heated debate on the issue, with opposition senators calling the move a sham and ministers defending it as a security necessity.
Imran Khan remains in prison
The removal of the PTI’s provincial government is the latest blow against Khan, who has been in prison since 2023. He faces charges including inciting riots that targeted military sites, along with corruption and other cases. His wife, three sisters and scores of activists are also in detention.
Khan denies the allegations and says they are politically motivated. The crackdown on the party’s leadership has intensified in recent days, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi taken into preventive custody earlier this week.
What happens next
The 50 detained protesters now face terrorism and sabotage charges, and their cases will move through the courts in the coming days. The state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains in force, with the province under direct federal control.
The violence in Bara marks the most serious unrest since the emergency was imposed, and it is likely to deepen the political crisis in the province. Further protests and a legal challenge to the emergency, already before the Peshawar High Court, will decide how the confrontation plays out.
Frequently asked questions
Where did the PTI protest turn violent?
In Bara, a town in the Khyber district about 15 kilometres from Peshawar. Police fired tear gas and live rounds to disperse the demonstrators.
How many people were injured or arrested in the Bara clashes?
Five people were injured, and police detained 50 people, according to Reuters and Dawn reporting on Tuesday.
Why was a state of emergency imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
The federal government imposed the emergency on Sunday, citing a surge in militant violence, and placed the province under direct federal control. The PTI calls the move a pretext for a political takeover.
What charges do the detained protesters face?
Police said the 50 detained protesters would face terrorism and sabotage charges over damage to government property and disturbing law and order.
