Imran’s hunger strike to be followed across Pakistan, globe: Gandapur

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur Monday said if Imran Khan decided to go on hunger strike against ‘usurpation of his rights’, it would be observed across Pakistan and the globe, shaking the rulers’ foundation.

He hurled this threat at the government after appearing in the Anti-Terrorism Court here and insisted it was true that the rights of PTI founder chairman were being denied to him and even, with whom, he wanted to meet, they were not being allowed to enter Adiala Jail.

“PTI founder’s reservations are absolutely correct that people are not allowed to meet him. The names he gives for meeting, are being taken out, he is being monitored, whereas these are his basic rights,” he contended.

Gandapur emphasised, “When they are taking our rights, we have the right to raise our voice according to the constitution, we abide by the law. We can protest peacefully to take our right, if the founder PTI goes on a hunger strike, this hunger strike will be for the whole of Pakistan and the world”.

The KP government, he pointed out, did not borrow a single rupee from the State Bank, and that for the first time in history any government gave a surplus budget of Rs100 billion. The KP CM said, “When we provide electricity at half price, employment will also come. We want the province to stand on its own feet. We will generate 800MW of electricity by 2028.”

He noted that the Health Card scheme is being reintroduced in the province, aligning with the vision of the PTI founder for KP to be self-sufficient. “In just 100 days, we have undertaken numerous public service initiatives,” he added.

However, he complained that demands for appointing officers in the province have not been met. He explained that they are giving employment to one lakh youths, giving interest-free loans. “We have to make the province a welfare province, we have reduced taxes on public goods, our policy is to give relief to the poor and for mafia taxes should be increased.”

Gandapur emphasised that they will make an example of the violators of the constitution. He said that the judiciary had written a letter earlier in which it was mentioned that there is pressure on them (judges).

“We had also said earlier, tell us whose pressure is on you; we will support you, we abide by the law and respect it, we want to take our right. We can protest peacefully,” he contended. KP chief minister said a discussion was held with an American delegation regarding the cipher issue, as ‘we have concerns regarding the cipher, and they should remove these’.

Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday decided to indict Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on July 29 in a case, registered against him at I-9 Sector police station in the federal capital. The hearing was conducted by ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra. Gandapur, along with his lawyer, appeared before the ATC.

In Monday’s hearing, the KP CM and other accused were handed over copies of the challan. The accused were directed to ensure their presence at the next hearing on July 29 for indictment.

On Friday, the ATC withdrew arrest warrants for Gandapur in a case related to violent protests and violation of Section 144. The ATC held a hearing on the application to suspend the arrest warrants issued in the case registered against Gandapur at the I-9 Police Station.

Gandapur, while surrendering before the court, explained that he was unable to appear earlier due to official engagements. The PTI leader and KP CM is facing a number of cases under various charges after arrest of the PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, last year on the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises.