Pakistan detains hundreds from ex-PM Khan’s party in northern province

Pakistani authorities have detained 278 members of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), following the imposition of emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, officials revealed on Monday. The emergency declaration came after days of protests demanding Khan's release, as well as a surge in militant violence in the region, particularly along the Afghanistan border.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a stronghold for Khan's party, experienced thousands of supporters marching in opposition to the emergency rule and airing grievances stemming from economic hardships. The province's chief minister, Sohail Afridi, who is a member of the PTI, was arrested hours after the emergency measures were announced, initially placed in protective custody in his official residence and later relocated.

The PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been placed in a non-functional state due to the security situation, as Islamabad accuses the provincial administration of failing to address the militant threat. The PTI vehemently opposes the emergency measures, labeling them as undemocratic and a power grab by the federal government. Khan, currently imprisoned on various charges stemming from corruption and violence-related allegations, maintains that the accusations are politically motivated.