Shipping containers block Peshawar streets after federal emergency declared in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The federal government’s emergency declaration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa led to the placement of shipping containers around Peshawar, blocking routes to Khyber Bazaar, Shoba Bazaar, and other critical arteries. Containers were positioned near the railway station, Edwardes College, Bala Hisar Fort and the Pakistan International Airlines office, effectively sealing off the Mall Road and key flyovers. Police units, including reinforcements from other districts, were stationed heavily around Governor House, while the military maintained a limited role at standard check posts.

Official vehicles are the only traffic allowed between Governor House and the Chief Minister’s House, with Royal Artillery Bazaar closed and Saddar only partly accessible. The move follows a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Zardari amid escalating tensions between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration over counter-terrorism policy.