At least 120 Afghan nationals were arrested over the past 48 hours, with 41 apprehended during clashes between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters and Islamabad police on Friday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday.

“Forty-one Afghan nationals were caught in yesterday’s clashes and a total of 120 Afghan nationals in the previous 48 hours, which is alarming […] a country’s own public protesting is a separate thing,” he told reporters in Islamabad.

Naqvi described the situation as “alarming,” emphasising that while domestic protests were a normal occurrence, the involvement of foreign nationals raises concerns.

He claimed that police were fired upon near Pathargarh, coinciding with the passage of KP Chief Minister Gandapur’s caravan. The minister questioned the “availability of tear gas” among the protesters, noting that around 80 to 85 police officers “sustained injuries” and received medical treatment.

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Naqvi also claimed that there was evidence of communication among groups encouraging individuals from Bannu and tribal areas to bring firearms to the protests.

While reiterating his commitment to maintaining order, Naqvi stated that he was in communication with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and assured that the government would not permit any disruptions to the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Islamabad.

He held the PTI leadership accountable for the unrest, asserting that the KP chief minister was “directly responsible for leading the protests.”