Story perspectives

Police fire live rounds at PTI protesters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

By Drooid · Oct 13, 2026, 11:33 PM UTC · How we work

Center

Provincial Denies Live Fire

Police fired tear gas and live rounds at supporters of jailed Prime Minister Imran Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Oct 13, 2026.
Federal government cited a surge in militant attacks to justify the emergency, while provincial administration denied live-fire use.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said residents in several districts stayed indoors after evening because of security concerns.
Provincial authorities reported about 50 protesters arrested and shipping containers blocking roads to Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s office.

Left

Emergency Unconstitutional Power Grab

Police fired tear gas and live rounds at supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Oct 13, 2026.
The crackdown is framed as an unconstitutional power grab that threatens civilians and suspends civil liberties.
PTI will file a court petition, prepared by Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja, against the emergency.
President Asif Ali Zardari signed emergency as Attaullah Tarar accused PTI of Taliban collusion, unsubstantiated.

Blindspot

Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar alleged that the suspended PTI provincial administration had colluded with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, though no public evidence was offered.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

In October 1999, General Pervez Musharraf led a military coup in Pakistan, deposing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and imposing emergency rule. Musharraf mobilized roughly 150,000 army troops, suspended the constitution, and the Supreme Court of Pakistan later validated the takeover on 12 December 1999. The 2026 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa crackdown on Imran Khan’s PTI supporters mirrors Musharraf’s emergency, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi citing security threats while opposition leaders like Salman Akram Raja prepare legal challenges. These parallels suggest that repeated emergency declarations risk eroding civil liberties and may prompt future judicial reviews to restore democratic governance.

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Provincial Denies Live Fire

Police fired tear gas and live rounds at supporters of jailed Prime Minister Imran Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Oct 13, 2026.
Federal government cited a surge in militant attacks to justify the emergency, while provincial administration denied live-fire use.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said residents in several districts stayed indoors after evening because of security concerns.
Provincial authorities reported about 50 protesters arrested and shipping containers blocking roads to Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s office.

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