Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur against provoking the government into taking extreme actions. Speaking in Islamabad, Naqvi accused Gandapur and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters of already overstepping boundaries, cautioning that further escalations could lead to harsh measures. He noted Gandapur’s apparent refusal to abandon plans of storming the federal capital, amid PTI’s ongoing protests.
Police arrested around 30 PTI workers in Islamabad for violating Section 144, which had been imposed in the twin cities to maintain security ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. Clashes erupted between law enforcement and protesters, with both sides accusing each other of initiating violence. Police used tear gas to disperse protesters and convoys attempting to enter the capital, while PTI workers reportedly retaliated with slingshots.
Naqvi revealed that law enforcement faced live gunfire at Pathargarh, where Gandapur’s convoy crossed a blockade. Approximately 80-85 police officers were injured, some of whom required hospital treatment. The authorities are investigating the source of the large quantity of tear gas used by protesters. Naqvi also mentioned evidence that people were instructed via online groups to bring weapons, with specific calls to residents of Bannu and tribal areas.
The interior minister underscored that the government would not allow the SCO summit to be disrupted, blaming Gandapur for orchestrating an attack on Islamabad. He emphasized that further aggression would end any possibility of negotiation. Naqvi also reported that Afghan nationals were participating in the protests, with 41 Afghans arrested the previous night and 120 apprehended over the last 48 hours. He called this involvement particularly concerning.
Meanwhile, KP Information Adviser Barrister Saif dismissed Naqvi’s claims of Afghan involvement in the PTI protests, calling them baseless accusations.
