Centre may have taken Gandapur into custody, claims Barrister Saif
1. PTI MNA from Karak Shahid Khattak, however, confirms that CM Gandapur has reached Peshawar
Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, has called on the federal government to clarify the whereabouts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
On Monday night, Saif suggested that the federal authorities might have detained Gandapur. He explained that the Chief Minister has been out of contact since 6 PM, making it difficult for the provincial government to determine his location.
According to Saif, the ongoing crackdown against the Imran Khan-founded party intensified after the party’s recent rally in Islamabad, which allegedly violated new public gathering laws. Following the rally, Islamabad police arrested several PTI figures, including Barrister Gohar Khan, Sher Afzal Marwat, and Zubair Khan, outside the Parliament House.
The police have also announced plans to arrest PTI leaders Omar Ayub Khan and Zartaj Gul Wazir. In response, heavy police presence was established around Parliament, and key entry and exit routes to the Red Zone were closed, except for Margala Road.
Amidst these developments, Saif urged the federal government to disclose Gandapur’s status, expressing concern about the lack of communication. Earlier, a spokesperson for the KP Chief Minister noted that Gandapur had informed him he was traveling to Islamabad for a meeting, but his phone has been off since 3 PM and his staff has also been unreachable.
Saif questioned the precedent of arresting an elected Chief Minister and suggested that if Gandapur had committed any offenses, a formal case should be filed against him.
He criticized the recent arrests of PTI leaders, stating that such actions are unlikely to weaken the party and instead harm democracy. Saif accused the PML-N-led government of initiating a crackdown without substantial reasons, pointing out that Gandapur’s recent speech, which criticized the current rulers, was made in the context of their perceived illegitimate rise to power.
Sources indicate that Gandapur may have traveled from Islamabad to Peshawar. PTI MNA Shahid Khattak confirmed that Gandapur had reached Peshawar, and Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza denied that Gandapur had been arrested, attributing his unavailability to jamming issues.
The KP Chief Minister had previously issued a two-week ultimatum to the coalition government to release Imran Khan, threatening to escalate the anti-government movement if Khan was not released. Provincial Minister Meena Khan Afridi warned against any unconstitutional actions by the federal government.
Additionally, the Islamabad police have filed cases against several PTI leaders under the newly enacted Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024, following clashes between party supporters and police during the rally.
The FIR states that PTI workers attacked police with batons and stones when officers attempted to enforce the rally’s route restrictions. The police responded with tear gas and baton charges, leading to 17 arrests. Further arrests of PTI leaders are expected as the crackdown continues.
