Public order violation at rally: PTI leaders rounded up amid outcry over Gandapur’s speech

ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI/LAHORE: The law-enforcement agencies have launched a massive crackdown on the PTI top leadership for allegedly violating the newly enacted law on public gathering during the Sunday’s power show in the federal capital.

The capital police have registered cases against 28 PTI leaders and are expected to arrest the PTI Punjab leaders. The Punjab top officialshave also been informed about the crackdown.Sher Afzal Marwat was the first PTI leader to have been arrested outside the Parliament House followed by Shoaib Shaheen and PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan from different areas.

In a bid to calm down the situation, Gohar however offered an “unconditional apology” after Gandapur uttered inappropriate words against journalists.Talking to Geo News, Gohar claimed that he did not hear the audio clip of Gandapur’s speech but immediately contacted him after this matter came to his knowledge last night. He added that Gandapur had apologised for his statement during the conversation.

He was of the view that Gandapur’s remarks were apparently not for the entire journalist community but were limited to “one or two journalists.” However, the chief minister offered an apology for the slurs, he added.

Gohar said the media had also supported the PTI and they respect the journalist community.Elaborating on his party’s stance regarding a “two-week deadline” for the party founder Imran Khan’s release, he said the former ruling party did not intend to go to any kind of confrontation.

Terming Gandapur’s remarks just a “political statement”, Gohar said the PTI would get relief only from courts and not by confrontation.He added that PTI leadership was facing much pressure due to the imprisonment of the former premier, however, he pinned hopes on the courts to grant relief to Imran in different cases.

Raids are also on to arrest the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, Hammad Azhar, Kanwal Shauzab, Naeem Haider Panjotha, Amir Mughal, Khalid Khursheed and Zartaj Gul Wazir.

Heavy contingents of police were deployed outside the parliament while all entry and exit routes to the Red Zone were also closed from D-Chowk, Nadra Chowk, Serena, and Marriott, except for Margalla Road.

Marwat resisted the arrest and asked the police to show arrest warrant. However, PTI MNA Ali Muhammad Khan was not arrested when left the Parliament House. Taking a jibe at the KP CM, Defence Minister Khwaja Asif stated on ‘X’ that Gandapur had boasted of bringing a “lashkar” to free Imran Khan from jail, but he is hiding. Asif said it is learnt the PTI leaders have confined themselves to the Parliament House. He dared them to come out and face arrests.

Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has drawn scathing criticism for his derogatory remarks and threats to journalists during his address to the public meeting.

Those who came down hard on Gandapur included federal ministers, senators, media and human rights organizations and non-governmental organisations.“If the founder of the PTI is not legally released within one to two weeks, we will have him freed ourselves,” he said during the event, announcing to hold a rally in Lahore in the face of any obstacles or restrictions in his typical tone.

Reacting to Gandapur’s remarks, Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar said those who were “hollow inside” could only hurl threats.“[He is] challenging a woman while standing on the stage, while being scared of terrorists,” the minister said while condemning the KP government’s “failure” to control the rising militancy in the province.

Addressing a press conference here with Federal Minster for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam, Tarar said Gandapur vented out his spleen on the Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz and institutions over a failed rally.

He also asked the KP chief minister to be serious about his position as the ruler of a province instead of hurling threats.Amir Muqam said Gandapur badly failed to show his provincial government’s performance and termed his use of derogatory language about Maryam Nawaz a “very shameful act”, saying the KP CM had violated all the Pakhtoon norms and respect for women.

He also accused the PTI firebrand leader of using KP’s resources for organising the rally.In a separate statement, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi called for action against those involved in vandalism during the public meeting.Kundi said the writ of the state was being challenged in the southern districts of the province, while the majority of incidents of terrorism were happening in Gandapur’s district.

“Either the chief minister should have the courage to take action or he may be bracketed with those who are involved in terrorism,” he said.Moreover, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman also condemned the chief minister’s remarks, saying the PTI was “once again promoting the politics of violence and chaos”.

A statement issued by her office read that the Gandapur’s threats against institutions were highly “condemnable”.“Does the PTI want the justice system to be run by rallies and gatherings?

Those who threaten to free the accused with the help of mobs are armed groups, not the political parties,” Rehman stated.Furthermore, PMLN Senator Talal Chaudhry said the KP CM shouldn’t have used such language during the rally.

“There was nothing new in PTI’s sit-ins, rallies and threats. They will neither get an NRO [national reconciliation order] nor pardon for the crimes,” Chaudhary said while pledging to send the KP chief minister Gandapur to jail for the PTI workers’ clashes with the police after the end of the rally.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari dared KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to have Imran Khan released within 15 days.“I challenge him to do it in 20 days,” she said during a press conference here.

Bokhari criticised Gandapur for his remarks about a potential attack on Punjab, stating that Punjab knew how to defend itself, and its police could handle any challenge.She added Gandapur had once again crossed the line, showing lack of proper upbringing.

“His wife and mother should advise him against using a disrespectful language towards women,” she remarked, and asserted that the women of Punjab were fully capable of defending themselves.

Bokhari condemned the PTI’s frequent involvements in vandalism and violence, saying whenever their members gathered, destruction and chaos followed.She also claimed that no more than 3,000 people attended the PTI rally, apart from the official security forces present.

Bokhari labeled Imran Khan a “corrupt leader” who was involved in massive corruption, far beyond just a goat theft case.She reiterated that all her warnings about the PTI’s actions had proven true, pointing to the recent incidents, including the PTI’s attacks on police officers and verbal assaults on female journalists.

She raised concerns over the misuse of public funds at the rally and questioned whether anyone would hold the PTI accountable for it.“If we continue to pardon those responsible for the events of May 9, this chaos will persist,” she warned. Referring to the recent events, Bokhari also mentioned PTI leader Zartaj Gul, mocking her actions at the rally.

“Yesterday, Zartaj Gul acted like Tarzan, toppling containers,” she said. The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) expressed its its serious concern on the highly objectionable remarks made by KP CM Ali Ameen Gandapur against the journslists and media fraternity.

Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani President and Sarmad Ali Secretary General of the APNS in a statement strongly condemned the outburst and threatening language used by Gandapur against the journalists at the Islamabad PTI public meeting.

They stated that such uncalled-for remarks tantamount to sheer harrasment to journalists who perform their professional duty to protect and ptomote the peoples’ right to know. They observed that Gandapur intentionally attacked the freedom of press to force the journalists to act as per his dictation and toe the line of a political party. The APNS office bearers urged the PTI leadership to disassociate and denounce the statement of Gandapur and issue public apology on his statement. The APNS hoped that the PTI leadership would ensure that such remarks are not repeated in future.

The Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) has demanded an apology from the KP CM for using “vulgar remarks and issuing threats to journalists, mainly women during a public rally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday.

Gandapur, during the public rally, uttered extremely irresponsible and inappropriate words for the journalists, as well as targeted them with serious allegations and threats, which are intolerable, the journalist body said in a statement.

Besides targeting his opponents, the provincial chief executive at the much-hyped Sunday’s power show also hurled allegations at journalists, calling them “sellouts and brokers” without sharing evidence.

Denouncing the KP CM’s statement, the media body said: “In Pakistan, journalists are performing their duties under unfavourable circumstances. PTI should inquire Gandapur for his language against the journalists, who are performing their duties under pressure and regulations, and he should apologise to the journalist community for his use of inappropriate words.”

Additionally, the AEMEND also denounced the harassment of some reporters by political workers covering the rally, as well as hindering them from performing their duties.

According to the media body, the political leadership’s irresponsible statements become the reason behind the political workers getting provoked, which causes the lives and possessions of media workers to face dangers.

Moreover, the AEMEND also expressed concern over the dangers journalists face in Pakistan and the restrictions on the right to freedom.The media body said: “Media is confronting unannounced censorship, illegal restraints and pressure over coverage of political rallies and activities due to which the public’s right to information is being badly influenced.”

It also noted democratic society can only prosper under the free media which is in favour of the state, politics and people.language its norm. This cycle must end.”

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists PFUJ has strongly condemned the derogatory remarks of KP chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur against the journalist fraternity, especially female media persons.

In a joint statement issued on Monday the PFUJ president Afzal Butt, Secretary General Arshad Ansari, and Finance Secretary Lala Asad Pathan described the language used by Gandapur as shameful.

The three leaders observed that Khan’s party did not learn from history. “They committed blunders in the past by hurling slurs and insults at media persons and houses. Imran Khan and other leaders of PTI accused media houses in the past of receiving bribes but now the former prime minister is heaping eulogy on the same media which is providing him a platform to air his grievances.”

They said that it seems to be the part of political training of Gandapur which is not surprising for those who have known the traditions of PTI for years. “But we will not tolerate such shameful language against our fellow female journalists. We would launch a country-wide movement against PTI leaders besides boycotting their coverage if Imran Khan does not tender an apology over the outrageous attitude of his party leaders.”

The PFUJ leaders made it very clear that they would raise the issue of this inappropriate language against female journalists at all forums and would not ignore this shameful attitude.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists Workers (PFUJW) and Video Journalists Association Peshawar (VJAP) also slammed Gandapur’s allegations against journalists, reports APP.Karachi Press Club strongly condemned the offensive language used by Gandapur against journalists, particularly female journalists and asked him to immediately tender an apology.

The statement noted that Gandapur’s allegations and threats were unacceptable and had been made while journalists were already working under challenging conditions.

The Lahore Press Club, led by its president Arshad Ansari, also denounced the KP CM’s tirade against journalists, demanding his apology until which media would boycott his coverage.

The Parliamentary Reporters Association (PRA) Monday staged a walkout from the Senate and National Assembly in protest against the inappropriate remarks made by Gandapur.

PRA President Usman Khan and Secretary Naveed Akbar strongly condemned the KP chief minister’s comments, expressing their disapproval in unequivocal terms.

Secretary Women Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) Dr. Shahida Rehmani Monday condemned the inappropriate language used by the KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur about female journalists, reports APP.

In a statement, she said respect for women was essential, regardless of their profession or background. She asserted that such derogatory remarks against women would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said Gandapur’s use of foul language, particularly against women journalists, were unbecoming of a political leader and legislator.

“Mr. Gandapur would do well to remember that freedom of expression, including opposing views, are critical to the health of a democracy. He should apologise to the press. Moreover, all political leaders must refrain from using such distasteful rhetoric,” it said.

The Aurat Foundation expressed its outrage over the use of vulgar, immoral and shameful language against journalists, especially women journalists, by Gandapur, calling it a woman-biased mentality of a misogynist. The Foundation demanded that a case be instituted immediately against the KP chief minister.