PTI Chief Calls Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ‘Political Victimisation’

Speaking to reporters outside parliament on Monday, Khan said PTI rejected both measures but maintained that efforts to eliminate terrorism remained necessary, according to Pakistan-based newspaper The Express Tribune.

“You have imposed governor's rule and an emergency, both of which we reject. Terrorism must be eliminated; there can be no two opinions on that,” Khan said, as quoted by the newspaper.

He described the measures as a possible pretext for political victimisation and argued that security concerns should not be used to target political opponents.

PTI Questions Extension of Detention for Imran Khan’s Sisters

Khan also criticised the reported 30-day extension of the detention of sisters of PTI founder and former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He specifically raised the case of Aleema Khan, arguing that she was not a political figure and questioning the decision to extend her detention.

The PTI chairman’s remarks come amid heightened political tensions following the federal government’s intervention in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province governed by the party founded by Imran Khan.

Federal Government Imposes Emergency and Governor’s Rule

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari approved emergency measures on October 11 following recommendations from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet, according to the reports cited.

The move suspended the provincial government led by PTI and placed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under governor’s rule. The federal government also announced the deployment of security forces in the province.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and several members of his cabinet were detained on October 12.

According to Pakistan-based newspaper Dawn, the federal government’s decision came as PTI was preparing major protests demanding the release of Imran Khan.

The intervention has drawn criticism from the party, which argues that the measures undermine its elected provincial government. The federal government’s action has also prompted concerns from rights advocates over the impact on democratic institutions and political activity.

Human Rights Commission Demands Restoration of Provincial Government

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for an end to emergency measures and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, demanding the immediate release of the province’s chief executive and others it considers arbitrarily detained.

In a statement posted on X on Sunday, the rights organisation reiterated its opposition to the measures, warning about the erosion of democratic space, the disenfranchisement of voters, preventive detention and the disproportionate impact of security operations on civilians.

The HRCP said the fact that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is Pakistan’s only opposition-led province made the federal intervention particularly concerning.

It described the detention of the elected chief executive as a serious challenge to democratic norms and pointed to arrests involving other elected representatives and political workers, including women PTI workers in Punjab.

The organisation said it had previously cautioned the authorities against imposing emergency and governor’s rule and was reiterating its objections approximately two weeks after the measures were introduced.

Rights Group Warns Against Using Counter-Terrorism Measures to Restrict Civil Liberties

While condemning militancy and terrorism, the HRCP stressed that counter-terrorism operations must comply with the law and should not become a justification for collective punishment, excessive force or restrictions on fundamental rights.

The organisation also raised concerns about preventive and unlawful detention, arguing that such measures should not be used to silence opposition figures or bypass judicial safeguards.

It called for detainees to be informed of the grounds for their detention, given access to lawyers and family members, and produced before a court within the legally mandated timeframe.

The HRCP said these protections were particularly important given the province’s history of opaque internment centres.

The rights group also expressed concern over reports of police raids targeting PTI workers in Khyber, Peshawar and Swat.

HRCP Calls for Dialogue Between Government and PTI

The commission has demanded the release of the provincial chief executive and others it considers arbitrarily detained, the lifting of emergency and governor’s rule, and the restoration of the provincial assembly.

It has also urged the federal government and PTI to resume political dialogue to address militancy, safeguard fundamental rights and ensure local participation in decisions concerning the province’s resources.

The dispute has intensified tensions between the federal government and PTI, with security concerns, political opposition and the status of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s elected institutions at the centre of the controversy.