PTI’s protest call draws lacklustre response in Peshawar

PESHAWAR, October 13th, 2026 — In response to a protest call from Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), very few of the party's workers participated in brief demonstrations across the city on Monday. Riot police and prison vans were deployed throughout Peshawar, but the protest only drew 15-20 workers from Nishtarabad, Hashtnagri, and Sikandarpura.

PTI Peshawar district president Irfan Saleem had called for the protest on Sunday night, urging demonstrators to shout slogans against emergency and governor's rule imposition. Upon encountering police, the protesters dispersed.

A senior PTI leader questioned the effectiveness of the protest given the extensive police presence. The leader informed that the police prevented demonstrators from staging a full demonstration and instructed the party to avoid clashes with the security forces. Following the proclamation of emergency, the party's local cabinet met on Monday to discuss the next steps.

The deputy general secretary, Nawaz Shangla, presented a declaration condemning the federal government's undemocratic measures, including the imposition of emergency and governor's rule. The meeting also strongly denounced the removal of an elected government, calling it an attack on public mandate and democratic values.

The meeting demanded the immediate release of arrested PTI leaders, including former chief minister Sohail Afridi, PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar Khan, and provincial assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati. The party's provincial cabinet also condemned the governor's inaugural address to the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, describing it as dictatorial.

They instructed party workers to hold peaceful protests across the province against the federal government's actions. Despite the protests, the situation in the tribal district remained relatively calm, with only a few PTI workers staging demonstrations in Bara, Jamrud, and Landi Kotal.