PTI protest in KP's Bara turns violent as demonstrators clash with police

On Tuesday, a protest demonstration organized by PTI workers in Khyber's Bara tehsil took a violent turn. The demonstrators clashed with police, government buildings were set on fire, and there were reports of police using live rounds and tear gas to disperse the protesters. Eyewitnesses confirmed injuries to at least five protesters, while police claimed they had arrested 50 individuals.

However, a doctor at the Hayatabad Medical Complex, one of the city's major hospitals, reported that over a dozen people, including four policemen, had been injured. The protest was held in response to the imposition of governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkwa and the declaration of emergency in 12 districts, including Khyber. Scores of PTI workers gathered at Khyber Chowk in Bara Bazaar for the protest, and after the police arrived, the situation escalated.

Protesters forced the police to retreat, with some law enforcers seeking shelter in nearby buildings. Shops and commercial establishments became temporary safe havens for the officers. The nearby National Database and Registration Authority's office and part of the Rescue 1122 building were reportedly set ablaze. The police eventually dispersed the protesters but closed all roads leading to Bara Bazaar.

Bara Siyasi Ittehad leaders urged both PTI workers and police to refrain from further confrontations. The capital city police announced the arrest of 50 "miscreant elements" in Bara who allegedly sought to incite unrest. Samar Haroon Bilour, the newly appointed adviser on information and broadcasting in Khyber Pakhtunkwa, accused the protesters of damaging public and government property and claimed that 42 PTI-affiliated individuals associated with vandalism and unrest had been arrested, including 25 who were illegal Afghans.

However, the newspaper could not independently verify the number of arrests, the extent of the damage, or the nationality and immigration status of those detained.