Pakistani authorities have launched a widespread crackdown on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, arresting nearly 300 members in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This move follows the federal government’s decision to impose emergency rule in the region, citing concerns over mounting militant violence and sustained anti-government protests. Among those detained is the province’s Chief Minister, Sohail Afridi, who officials claim was taken into "protective custody" shortly after the emergency declaration was finalized.

The PTI, led by the incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has slammed the government’s actions as an undemocratic power grab. Supporters have been gathering in large numbers across the province to voice their frustration over the country's dire economic situation and to demand Khan’s immediate release. Meanwhile, the federal government maintains that the regional administration had failed to curb security threats, rendering the provincial government effectively non-functional. Khan has remained imprisoned since August 2023 on various charges, which he and his legal team continue to dismiss as purely politically motivated attempts to silence his movement.