I strongly condemn the reported arrest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. The detention of an elected chief minister constitutes a serious assault on the democratic mandate of the people of the province and undermines constitutional governance. Coming in the wake of the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule, this action further deepens political polarisation and erodes public confidence in democratic institutions. We demand his immediate release and an end to measures that target elected representatives. Political differences must be resolved through constitutional and democratic means.