Federal govt denies claims of KP CM Gandapur in custody

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was not in custody of any federal government organisation.

His remarks came after speculations pertaining to arrest of Gandapur spread, as the provincial executive remains incommunicado since last night. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) claimed to have lost communication with KP chief minister, following a raid by law enforcers at the KP House.

The abrupt "disappearance" of firebrand politician and chief executive of KP has raised many questions, besides fuelling speculations of his arrest, as the PTI continues its protest in Islamabad.

Addressing media persons in Islamabad during a presser, flanked by KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, the interior minister admitted that the law enforcement agencies did carry out a couple of raids at the KP House in Islamabad, suspecting that the chief minister might be there but he was not present at the location.

"We do not have the knowledge if he has reached KP or not. However, a camera footage of him fleeing the KP House is available," he said, dismissing the reports of the KP chief minister being in police custody.

The interior minister said Gandapur was not in custody of any other institution as well. He reiterated that the PTI leader himself fled somewhere.

However, he said, if he was present in Islamabad then the federal capital police were after him. "He is sought by police," he added.

Meanwhile, the governor said Gandapur had gone into self-imposed hiding since Saturday.

"Ali Amin is playing on both sides of the wicket,” Kundi said, adding that an emergency session of the KP Assembly had been convened over the matter of Gandapur’s hiding.

Apparently, pointing towards alleged participation of Afghan nationals in the political party's protest, Kundi said it was the most frightening thing that terrorists were brought in by the PTI for the protest.

Meanwhile, the KP government on Sunday approached the Peshawar High Court (PHC) against the disappearance of CM Gandapur.

KP Advocate General Shah Faisal said that a writ petition had been prepared in this regard and the court would be requested to take it up today.

On the other hand, talking to Geo News, CM’s brother Faisal Amin Gandapur said he could not establish contact with his brother since last night.

Earlier, KP CM's Adviser on Information Barrister Saif said that Gandapur had been "incommunicado" since Saturday night.

Speaking to Geo News, the official confirmed that the whereabouts of the KP CM were unknown and his family could not reach him.

He held the centre responsible for his going missing.

PTI protests

Law and order situation of Islamabad remains precarious as the Imran Khan-founded party tried to stage a protest at D-Chowk amid the imposition of Section 144 (which bars political activities and gatherings) in the twin cities to ensure security, ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's meeting.

The opposition party initiated a series of protests for the independence of judiciary and the release of its founder, who has been incarcerated at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail for more than a year.

Clashes also broke out between the law enforcers and party workers, with both sides claiming that the other had attacked them.

Police fired tear gas at the protesters on Saturday in the capital as well as the convoys tried to enter Islamabad, while the workers used slingshots to hit the law enforcers.

The PTI started protests in Lahore as well, badly affecting the routine life due to blockade of roads, police-protesters’ clashes, and suspension of metro services.

Citing the tense situation, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the local authorities on Saturday to allocate a designated place to the PTI for organising its demonstration and to stop any unlawful protest in the federal capital that create situation of lockdown or disrupt peace during the period of SCO summit.

The directives were issued by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq through a three-page order after hearing the petition filed by Traders Welfare Association President Raja Hassan Akhtar, who sought the court's order to stop the ongoing protest in Islamabad.

Upon a critically wounded police official’s losing battle for life today, Interior Minister Naqvi said no one involved in his murder would be spared.

On behalf of the government, he also announced to hire one of his two sons in police force and give a housing plot as compensation.

Islamabad police's Constable Hameed Shah, who was wounded during PTI protest in the federal capital last night, succumbed to his wounds during the course of treatment.

The cop was reportedly subjected to violence after being "kidnapped".