KP Faces Road Blocks And Arrests On First Day Of Governor’s Rule

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained disrupted on Monday, a day after emergency measures and governor’s rule were imposed in the province. Road closures, police deployment, school shutdowns and arrests were reported in several districts as authorities moved to enforce new administrative and security controls.

In Peshawar, police remained deployed across major roads, especially near areas leading towards the Cantonment. Several routes into and around the Cantt area were blocked, with containers placed on roads including Khyber Road, University Road, Sher Shah Suri Road and routes leading from Warsak and Shami Road towards Saddar.

Traffic was diverted through alternative routes such as Khyber Bazar, Ramdas and Bhana Marhi Chungi, while commuters trying to reach Cantt from the city had to use longer routes through the City Circular Road and Kohat Road. Some residents reported turning back after finding major access points blocked. At the same time, routes connecting Peshawar with Khyber district, Kohat and Nowshera were not reported to be blocked.

Educational disruption was also visible across the province. In Peshawar, all educational institutions remained closed, while in Mardan government and private schools, colleges and universities were also shut. Examinations and papers scheduled for the day were cancelled in several areas, including Bannu, North Waziristan, Dera Ismail Khan, Lower South Waziristan and Lakki Marwat, with new dates to be announced later.

In Bannu, the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education postponed Secondary School Certificate and second annual examinations because of the prevailing law and order situation. Road blockades were also reported near Bannu Cantonment, including on Jumma Khan Road leading to New Kurram Bridge.

Police action against political workers was reported in multiple districts. In Charsadda, 15 PTI workers were arrested and police vans were seen patrolling different areas of the bazaar. In Shangla, more than two dozen PTI workers were taken into custody, while local police said raids were continuing and strict action had been ordered against those accused of disturbing public order.

Section 144 was imposed in Shangla, banning public gatherings, while police were directed to increase patrolling and conduct snap-checking at entry and exit points. Despite the arrests and restrictions, bazaars in the district remained open and routine activities continued in several areas.

The situation varied across districts. In Swabi, containers were placed to block the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway and internet and mobile services remained suspended. In Lower South Waziristan, however, roads remained open, markets in Wana continued operating and no major protests or arrests were reported. Khyber district also remained comparatively calm after police dispersed a morning demonstration in Bara, while the main Peshawar-Torkham Highway stayed open.

The developments show the uneven impact of the emergency measures across KP. Major urban and politically sensitive areas faced closures, detours and arrests, while several southern and tribal districts reported quieter conditions. Authorities are expected to continue monitoring protests, traffic movement and educational activity as the province adjusts to the new administrative setup.