PTI leader Asad Qaiser accused the government of “abducting” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur from KP House in Islamabad. He warned that if Gandapur is not produced within 24 hours, PTI would launch a nationwide protest.
Qaiser’s remarks came just before an emergency session of the KP Assembly, initially scheduled for 2 p.m., but delayed by five hours due to Gandapur’s mysterious disappearance. The session, chaired by KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, eventually commenced late in the evening.
“If the KP chief minister is not produced within 24 hours, PTI will stage a nationwide protest,” Qaiser reiterated while addressing the media outside the KP Assembly. He further emphasized that this was not just an attack on Gandapur but on the entire nation, warning that even the provincial chief executives are no longer safe.
Qaiser claimed that Gandapur had been “abducted from KP House,” as evidenced by damage inside the building. He also alleged that over 1,000 PTI workers have been arrested so far. “We do not want anarchy,” Qaiser said, “but we will continue to protest peacefully and exercise our constitutional rights.”
The accusations of Gandapur’s disappearance have sparked confusion, with conflicting statements from PTI leaders. While some claim he was “arrested,” KP government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Saif stated on X (formerly Twitter) that Gandapur had not been “formally arrested.” However, Saif added that a heavy contingent of Rangers and police were present at KP House.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi refuted the rumors of Gandapur’s arrest, suggesting that the chief minister was “running from his residence,” though he did not clarify the reason. KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi remarked that Gandapur had “gone into self-hiding” and criticized the “drama” surrounding the situation.
Despite Barrister Saif’s statement, PTI leader Omar Ayub Khan persisted in claiming that Gandapur had been arrested from KP House. PTI leaders warned of “serious repercussions” if the chief minister was detained.
PTI, responding to a call from their incarcerated founder, Imran Khan, held demonstrations in Islamabad yesterday. Protesters, including Gandapur’s caravan, entered the capital after breaching a police cordon but lost track of the chief minister, sparking rumors of his arrest.
The protests are expected to continue as PTI leaders, including Asad Qaiser and Omar Ayub Khan, confirmed that they would not relent until further directives from Imran Khan.
The Islamabad High Court has ordered the government to restore normalcy in the city, urging the designation of a location for PTI’s protests. Meanwhile, PML-N has expressed frustration over the state’s inability to classify PTI as a “terrorist organization” amid continued demonstrations.
