Pakistan accuses suspended provincial government of colluding with militants

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s federal government on Monday accused the provincial administration led by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party of working “hand in glove” with the Pakistani Taliban, citing the alleged collusion to justify its suspension a day earlier.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the government had “solid evidence” to support its allegations.

He said the suspension and imposition of a state of emergency in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province will allow security forces and the new administration to better coordinate efforts to combat terrorism.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the provincial government had been suspended for at least six months but gave no timetable for lifting the emergency. Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the province's top elected official, was in government custody after being removed from his position.

The information minister accused Afridi of facilitating the Pakistani Taliban, who are suspected of being behind a surge in violence in recent years. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, is a separate group but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban, who returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

Islamabad often accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of sheltering TTP militants, an allegation Kabul denies. The law minister said the federal government had exhausted efforts, including negotiations, to avoid imposing direct rule via the governor in the province.

Khan’s party spokesman, Zulfiqar Bukhari, rejected the allegations, saying their legal team was preparing legal challenges against the emergency decree.

“You cannot have a provincial government in the country which sympathizes with the terrorists, or which supports terrorists," the information minister told a news conference. He alleged that Khan’s supporters last week traveled through areas along the Afghan border with assistance from militants, who he said provided safe passage.

Daily life continued largely as normal in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, with busy roads and open markets. Authorities closed schools in the province for a day as a precaution against possible unrest, but demonstrations were limited to scattered groups of Khan’s supporters. No protests by the party were reported in Islamabad.

Talks last week between Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, and the federal government ended without agreement. The law minister said that federal officials had not asked PTI to cancel its planned march on Islamabad to demand Khan's release from prison, but had sought assurances that Afridi would prioritize the deteriorating security situation in his province. Tarar said that PTI representatives focused instead on securing Khan’s release.

Afridi and other PTI leaders have said Khan’s release and the fight against terrorism are separate issues and that the federal government’s counterterrorism policy is flawed. PTI also wants better medical facilities for Khan at a private hospital. However, Sharif's government says Khan is medically fit and does not need hospitalization.

Khan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's main political rival, has been imprisoned since 2023 on corruption and other charges that he and his party say are politically motivated. Most supporters who had gathered in the province for this week’s planned march dispersed after Sunday’s announcement.

Afridi had claimed that 2 million people would take to the streets if his government were suspended.

People use an available passage on a road barricaded with shipping containers by authorities to maintain law and order situation following the Pakistani president declared a state of emergency in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and suspended its government, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Muhammad Zubair)

Police officers detain a supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party during a protest against the Pakistani president declared a state of emergency in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and suspended its government, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Muhammad Zubair)

A police armored personnel carrier patrol on a barricaded road to maintain law and order situation following the Pakistani president declared a state of emergency in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and suspended its government, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Muhammad Zubair)

Police officers stand guard at a road barricaded by authorities to maintain law and order situation following the Pakistani president declared a state of emergency in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and suspended its government, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Muhammad Zubair)

Police officers detain a supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party during a protest against the Pakistani president declared a state of emergency in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and suspended its government, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Muhammad Zubair)

SHANGHAI (AP) — Zizou Bergs stunned second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, 7-6 (4) to advance to the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters on Monday.

Bergs converted his first match point with a ninth ace to beat the tournament favorite in the biggest win of his career. It was second encounter on the tour between the pair and a first victory for Bergs.

After the match Bergs said he has “too much respect for (top players), which is part of my culture and I’m proud of that. But it gets a little bit in the way when you have to play them.”

He added this result can help him change that.

“To have this moment, for me it is a little bit of a relief. I feel like now I really can win against these guys. Not just I can play against them, but I can win against them.”

He hit 24 winners on the way to victory, compared to 16 of his opponent at their round of 32 match in the ATP 1000 tennis event.

Next, Bergs will face Tommy Paul after the American knocked out defending champion Valentin Vacherot 6-4, 6-2.

The loss for Alcaraz means that Alexander Zverev will complete the year as the No. 1.

Breaking Alcaraz for the second time to take a 6-5 lead in the opening set, Bergs used his fourth set point to serve it out after Alcaraz hit the net.

The 39th-ranked Belgian broke Alcaraz for a 6-5 lead in the second set but failed to serve out the match with the Spaniard breaking back to force the tiebreaker.

Alcaraz, who won last week’s Japan Open, fought back from 4-2 down to tie it at 4 but Bergs then recovered to build two match points. The Belgian only needed one.

“I’m very happy how I handled the tiebreak,” Bergs said. “It’s never easy to get broken when you are serving for the match, but to get back in the tiebreak and play those key moments, serve big, I’m very happy with that one especially.”

Also, fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev eased past Dalibor Svrcina 6-2, 6-3.

In his second straight victory since being disqualified at the China Open for hitting a spectator in the eye with a ball, Medvedev converted his fourth match point when his Czech opponent sent a backhand volley wide.

Fourth-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime eliminated Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 and Stefanos Tsitsipas came from a set down to knock out 11th-seeded Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

See AP’s full tennis coverage here

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz speaks holding the trophy after winning the men's singles final against Czechia's Jiri Lehecka at the Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)