Web Desk: Gunfire was reported in Bara, Khyber district, after a group of people allegedly opened fire on police near Khyber Chowk, according to claims circulating about the incident. Authorities reportedly arrested people suspected of involvement in the shooting.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the federal government has imposed emergency measures and placed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial administration under federal oversight, citing worsening security and governance concerns.
Initial claims said people involved in the incident fired at police in the Bara area, prompting a response from law enforcement personnel. Those claims also said some suspects fled during the exchange before arrests were made.
However, the circumstances of the reported shooting, the number of people arrested and whether anyone was injured were not independently confirmed in the information available.
The incident has added to concerns over law and order in Khyber district, which has faced persistent security challenges. Further details from police are needed to establish what triggered the confrontation and identify those involved.
The reported shooting comes after President Asif Ali Zardari approved the federal government’s recommendation to impose emergency measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, citing an increase in terrorist attacks, governance concerns and the breakdown of talks with the provincial leadership.
Under the arrangement described by the federal government, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has assumed responsibility for provincial government functions, supported by an 11-member advisory council.
Islamabad has also authorised the deployment of the Pakistan Army under Article 245 of the Constitution to assist the civil administration and protect civilians, government installations and public property.
The measures mark a significant escalation in tensions between the federal government and the PTI, which has rejected the intervention as politically motivated.
The federal government has pointed to a sharp increase in attacks in the province as justification for its intervention.
According to security figures cited by the government, attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa rose by about 195% between March 2024 and September 2026. The province reportedly accounted for 1,971 of the 3,145 attacks recorded nationwide during 2026.
Officials have also raised concerns about attacks targeting police and security personnel, as well as shortages of equipment and vacant police positions despite substantial funding allocated for counterterrorism.
The government says the shortcomings have weakened the province’s ability to respond to increasingly sophisticated attacks. PTI, however, has denied supporting militant groups and argued that Islamabad has not provided adequate resources to tackle terrorism.
The emergency follows months of friction between Islamabad and the PTI-led provincial administration, including disputes over counterterrorism policy and political mobilisation.
The federal government has accused provincial leaders of failing to provide sufficient support for security operations. PTI has rejected those allegations and condemned the suspension of its provincial government.
The latest reported incident in Bara highlights the importance of establishing the facts surrounding individual security incidents as authorities confront continuing violence and political uncertainty across the province.
For residents, the immediate concern remains whether the new administrative arrangements will improve public safety, strengthen policing and help restore normal life.
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