PESHAWAR: With riot police and prison vans deployed across the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, only a handful of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers stepped out on Monday to stage brief protests in different areas of the city.

What the PTI had called a “flash protest” was staged in Nishtarabad, Hashtnagri and Sikandarpura, attracting just 15-20 workers. No former minister, MPA or MNA turned up.

PTI Peshawar district president Irfan Saleem had called for the protest on Sunday night.

The workers would emerge from streets, shout slogans against the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province and disperse upon approaching the riot police.

Only handful of workers stage brief protests

A senior PTI leader wondered how the workers could stage a protest if thousands of police personnel were deployed on all roads and intersections of the city.

He told Dawn that the police did not allow workers to demonstrate and that the party leadership had categorically instructed them to avoid clashes with the police and security forces.

Asked about the future course of action, the PTI leader said the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) had convened a meeting today (Tuesday) to decide the next steps.

Following the proclamation of emergency in the province, the PTI’s local cabinet met on Monday, with senior vice-president Senator Noorul Haq Qadri in the chair.

During the meeting, the party’s deputy general secretary, Nawaz Shangla, presented a declaration that was adopted by the participants.

The meeting strongly condemned what it described as the federal government’s undemocratic measures, including the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province. It termed the removal of an elected government an attack on the public mandate and democratic values.

The arrest of former chief minister Sohail Afridi, PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar Khan, provincial assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister Khalid Khurshid and other party leaders was also condemned as shameful.

The participants demanded the immediate release of Sohail Afridi and other arrested leaders. They also praised Mr Afridi for refusing to make any compromise on people’s mandate.

The party’s provincial cabinet further condemned the governor’s maiden address to the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, describing its tone as dictatorial. It instructed party workers to hold peaceful protests across the province against the federal government’s “illegal actions”.

The participants said the PTI would continue its struggle for democratic rights, constitutional supremacy and the protection of the public mandate. They also called for an end to political victimisation and reiterated their commitment to safeguarding the democratic system, constitutional rights and political stability in the province.

Our Correspondent from Khyber adds: The situation in the tribal district remained relatively calm though some PTI workers staged a protest demonstration in Bara on Monday morning.

The protesters dispersed after police fired gunshots into the air and made some arrests.

Around 20 PTI workers and supporters also demonstrated in Jamrud but dispersed after the police chased them near the Jamrud Press Club.

A small demonstration was held in Landi Kotal following the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency.

Overall, the situation remained calm and under control, with all roads, including the main Peshawar-Torkham Highway, open.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2026