Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has confirmed to Reuters that Sohail Afridi and some of his cabinet members are in preventive custody.
Reuters reported from Islamabad on Monday, 12 October 2026, a day after the federal government suspended the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration under emergency rule. Chaudhry said: "Yes, I can confirm that the chief minister (Sohail Afridi) and some of his cabinet members have been taken into preventive custody."
He said the detentions happened on Sunday. If any of them have a case to be tried, they will be charged and tried, he said, and the others will be released.
A Reuters photograph from Peshawar the same day shows a police officer stopping people near the Red Zone. The caption describes it as the day after Pakistan imposed a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, suspending the provincial government led by Imran Khan's party.
Chaudhry's words are preventive custody. The Reuters report does not name a criminal charge, a court order, or how long anyone will be held.
Geo News had earlier on Monday quoted police as saying at least eight PTI leaders were in protective custody, naming Afridi, KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar. Geo did not report a charge. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had told Dunya News that Afridi was in protective custody and had not been arrested.
