PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, during a fiery speech in the provincial assembly on Tuesday, issued a stern warning, saying, “If the Islamabad IG is not removed, our next protest will be aimed at removing him.”
After nearly a full day of uncertainty, K-P CM Gandapur reappeared at the provincial assembly on Sunday, following his sudden disappearance during a PTI-led protest in Islamabad a day earlier. The mystery surrounding Gandapur’s absence had sparked widespread concern, prompting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to pass an urgent resolution demanding his immediate release. Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam tabled the resolution, which condemned the recent raid on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad and the violent incidents that ensued.
Gandapur, who had been last seen leading a convoy of PTI protestors into Islamabad on October 5, was reportedly near China Chowk when he disappeared.
CCTV footage from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House shows him entering the premises but later leaving in civilian clothes, raising questions about whether his departure was voluntary.
The chief minister, in today’s speech at K-P Assembly, expressed his frustration with the ongoing repression faced by his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), during protests and rallies across the country.
Gandapur said that PTI’s ‘peaceful’ gatherings have been met with heavy-handed tactics, stating that, “Wherever we hold a rally, we are treated like animals. We are given protest venues as if we are livestock.”
Addressing the K-P Assembly, Gandapur accused Punjab authorities of using force against PTI workers during protest calls. “Whenever we announced protests in Punjab, our workers were picked up, and alternative venues were assigned far from where we had originally planned to gather,” he said, adding that even in Islamabad, PTI was forced to hold a rally in a distant location instead of Liaquat Bagh.
The K-P CM underscored that PTI founder Imran Khan has always preached peace, but their constitutional right to protest has been denied.
“They’ve legitimised horse-trading and political manipulation, but we will continue to protest regardless of permissions,” he asserted, describing how containers were placed, tear gas fired, and PTI supporters beaten, but they still managed to arrive peacefully at D-Chowk.
“We pushed through the police and Rangers, with the army on both sides, yet there was no intention of clashing with our own forces,” he added.
He revealed that the party made the decision to head to K-P House instead of continuing to D-Chowk to avoid further confrontation. However, upon arriving at K-P House, Gandapur claimed that the Islamabad IG, leading an assault with police and Rangers, treated them as if they were terrorists.
“The IG stormed in, behaving as if we were criminals,” he lamented. “They seized my mobile phone and subjected us to violence.”
Recounting his escape, CM Gandapur described how he was smuggled out of K-P House through a back door and spent four hours hiding. “I had no phone or money and walked to the motorway, where a K-P House vehicle eventually found me and helped me escape,” he recounted.
Gandapur claimed that from there, he made his way through various districts, including Battagram and Swat, eventually arriving safely in Peshawar.
The K-P CM praised his party workers for their resilience in the face of adversity. “Our people stood firm. I salute them,” he said. “But the fascism we face today is unparalleled in history.”
The chief minister took aim at the federal government, accusing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other opposition leaders of disregarding the welfare of the country. “Nawaz Sharif was PM three times, and now he can’t even walk in public,” he said. “They are driving this country into darkness.”
Gandapur urged reform and repentance from those in power, warning that God would not forgive the injustices being carried out. “This regime will face the consequences of their actions. We must fight for our future generations and for the protection of Islam,” he concluded, calling for the leaders’ families to intervene and demand reform, or face social ostracism.
During his speech, the assembly members stood in solidarity, chanting slogans in support of Gandapur. –Agencies
