Islamabad cited rising terrorism and a failure to confront militant attacks along the Afghanistan border as the reason for dissolving the only provincial government led by the PTI. The Interior Ministry has since authorized the army to deploy across the province to maintain control. This action follows the arrest of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and the reported abduction of 10 PTI lawmakers, including two provincial ministers, who were taken by masked men starting on Oct 9.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Pakistan Suspends Last PTI Province Government for 6 Months
World9 days ago
The party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan has denounced the federal takeover of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a "coup disguised as emergency." President Asif Ali Zardari's order removes the provincial chief minister and cabinet, installing a federally appointed governor to manage the northwestern region for 6 months. NetBlocks reported network data showing a major disruption to internet connectivity in parts of the province, while local reports describe a total blackout of internet and mainstream media in the provincial capital of Peshawar and the city of Swabi.
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