Amnesty International has expressed serious concern over the arbitrary detention of senior leaders in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province — including the provincial chief minister — and widespread internet disruptions, following the federal government's declaration of a state of emergency and imposition of governor's rule in the region. The rights body questioned whether the emergency measures were proportionate to the situation on the ground.

The Emergency Declaration and Its Immediate Fallout

Pakistan's federal government declared a state of emergency on Sunday, 12 October 2025, suspending the provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which had been led by the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Governor's rule was imposed in its place, triggering swift political and civil unrest across the province.

Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and several cabinet members were detained after the suspension of the provincial government, according to local media reports. Pakistan's Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry told reporters that the detained leaders would be charged and tried in legal cases already pending against them.

Amnesty International's Warning

Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for South Asia, condemned both the emergency declaration and the deployment of armed forces in the province. 'Reports of arbitrary detentions of key leaders — including the provincial chief minister — and internet disruptions across the province raise concerns about the proportionality of these emergency measures,' he said.

Pant cautioned that while states may, in strictly limited circumstances, derogate from their human rights obligations during a genuine national emergency, such measures are 'not a blank cheque to crack down on human rights, silence dissent, or concentrate power.' He warned that the army's deployment risks further militarising Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and creating conditions for unlawful use of force, particularly given the armed forces' documented history of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions during counterterrorism operations.

He called on Pakistani authorities to avoid deploying military personnel for ordinary policing duties and to ensure independent oversight of all actions taken under the emergency framework, with every measure being 'strictly necessary and proportionate to the situation.'

Violence and Unrest on the Ground

The situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa deteriorated sharply after the emergency was imposed. The Governor House in the province was set ablaze amid escalating political tensions, according to reports. Videos circulating on social media showed the building engulfed in flames, while other footage reportedly depicted police firing and shelling in cities across the province.

Notably, internet services in the region were disrupted — a pattern critics argue has been deployed previously to suppress public mobilisation and restrict the flow of information during politically sensitive moments in Pakistan.

Political Reaction and Legal Challenges

Opposition parties strongly opposed the governor's rule declaration, describing it as an assault on democracy. The PTI, in a statement cited by the Pakistani daily Dawn, warned that the decision had set a 'dangerous precedent,' calling it political victimisation designed to weaken the province's elected leadership.

The party and other opposition groups pledged to challenge the move through both legal channels and public platforms, signalling that the political confrontation is far from over.

What Comes Next

With governor's rule now in force, the elected provincial government remains suspended and key leaders in detention. International scrutiny is mounting, with Amnesty International's statement likely to be followed by calls from other rights bodies and foreign governments. The legal challenges from the PTI and allied parties are expected to test Pakistan's judicial system amid an already fraught political climate. How Islamabad manages both the security situation and the rights concerns flagged by international observers will be closely watched in the days ahead.