Gandapur goes silent after ‘meeting in capital’

PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD: Having remained “incommunicado” in the federal capital since Monday evening, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur reached Peshawar on Tuesday.

He attended the party meeting and, according to sources, he told the PTI meeting that he was in meeting with some government officials. He denied being in custody. He, however, did not attend the PTI leaders’ press conference after the meeting.

Speaking on Geo News’ programme ‘Geo Pakistan’, KP CM’s Adviser on Information Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif contact with Gandapur was established late in the night but detailed discussions could not be held.

Admitting that the speech made during the Islamabad rally contributed towards an atmosphere of bitterness, Saif that the matter was being exaggerated as if there had been an attempt to attack the integrity of the country.

“We don’t want to worsen things, we want them to improve,” he remarked.

In the parliamentary party meeting, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf condemned what it called a “crackdown on parliament by intelligence agencies” and announced a countrywide protest for Friday, September 13, in response to the arrests of senior party leaders from parliament.

The party leadership also clarified that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was not taken into custody on Monday night, but had attended an important meeting with “high-ranking officials” in Islamabad. The meeting reportedly extended late into the night, resulting in a loss of contact with him.

Following the parliamentary meeting, senior party leaders, including newly-appointed Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, Ali Asghar Khan, Azam Khan Swati, and Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, held a press conference at the Chief Minister’s House to announce their future strategy.

When questioned about the chief minister’s whereabouts, Salman Akram Raja, Omar Ayub Khan and Asad Qaiser said that Ali Amin Gandapur would clarify his position, stressing that he had not been taken into custody. They declined to provide further details about his “mysterious disappearance” from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad, despite media insistence.

Sources within the party claimed that Ali Amin had been called to an important meeting, but party leaders were unaware of his location until he returned to the KP House early Tuesday morning. Interestingly, Ali Amin was absent from the press conference, with Omar Ayub explaining that he was attending a session of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. Salman Akram Raja and Omar Ayub also apologised to journalists for the chief minister’s insulting remarks at a PTI rally in Islamabad.

Raja clarified that Ali Amin’s comments were not intended to target journalists but were directed at “so-called media figures” who conducted interviews in drawing rooms with politicians who had been disappeared or detained by security forces.

“We deeply regret any offence caused to the media, especially female journalists, by Ali Amin’s comments. However, we do not need to apologise for his remarks about the role of the armed forces at the rally in Islamabad,” said Raja.

Without specifying names, Raja argued that respect should not be extended to state institutions operating outside their legal jurisdiction. He lamented that Pakistan had “wasted 77 years” and claimed that certain state institutions were suppressing the voice of the people, urging them to respect the parliament and the people’s mandate.

Raja also dismissed the narrative surrounding the events of May 9, labelling it a “fabricated story” and asserting that false cases had been filed against Imran Khan and other PTI leaders for raising genuine public concerns. “We respect military installations, but to us, Parliament is more important than any other institution. The September 9 attack on Parliament, where 220 million voters had sent their elected representatives, was disgraceful,” he said.

Raja criticised the current administration, which he called the “Form 47 government,” for intending to arrest parliamentarians and silence dissent to pass laws of its choosing. He emphasised PTI’s readiness to collaborate with state institutions, provided they operate within their legal limits and adhere to the Constitution.

Omar Ayub Khan, the opposition leader, accused National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq of facilitating the crackdown, which led to the arrests of PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Amir Dogar, Sher Afzal Marwat, Zain Qureshi, Naseem Shah, Ahmad Chattah, Sheikh Waqas, and Shoaib Shaheen from the National Assembly and their chambers.

“The PTI rally frightened the Form 47 government, prompting them to crack down on the Parliament. September 9 will be remembered as a black day in the parliamentary history of this country,” Omar Ayub declared. He alleged that Ayaz Sadiq was complicit in the events, saying that Parliament’s lights were deliberately switched off to allow intelligence operatives to enter and arrest PTI lawmakers.

Ayub urged parliamentary leaders to summon the heads of the intelligence agencies to hold them accountable for the crackdown.

He also revealed that he had sent a text message to Ayaz Sadiq, warning him to keep the message safe, as “very soon these intelligence operatives will drag [them] out of the same Parliament building.”

Former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser echoed the criticism of the arrests, expressing concern for the country’s stability. He said that state institutions had lost authority in Balochistan and pointed to the police strike in Lakki Marwat district, where officers had stated they no longer trusted state institutions. He also highlighted the unmet promises to allocate Rs1,000 billion to the merged tribal districts.

Qaiser concluded by reaffirming PTI’s three major demands: the immediate release of PTI prisoners, including Imran Khan, the withdrawal of false charges, and the holding of free and fair elections.

In the National Assembly session on Tuesday, A heated exchange of accusations between government and opposition lawmakers took place over the arrest of PTI MNAs from Islamabad, including some from within the parliament premises, after Ali Muhammad Khan raised the issue in the house.

“Today, I am not talking about Imran Khan, but I am making a case for democracy in the house,” Ali Muhammad Khan said, telling the chair that “we are not in Israel, we are in Pakistan.” He said that if the government condemned the events of May 9, what occurred on Monday night was a “May 9 for democracy.” Addressing the speaker, Ali Muhammad Khan said, “Your colleagues, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Shafqat Awan, Amir Dogar, Sheikh Waqar Akram, and Maulana Naseem, were seeking shelter in this Parliament last night when they were arrested.”

He also mentioned that Maulana Naseem was arrested from the mosque within the Parliament House. He said Article 6 should be applied to the attackers of Parliament

Mahmood Khan Achakzai said that the Constitution and Parliament had been disgraced on Monday night, adding that it would be a test for the PPP and PMLN leadership to see if they stand with the Constitution or with non-democratic forces. He remarked the act had exposed the battle between democratic and non-democratic forces.

Meanwhile, Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain has sent senior PTI leader Shoaib Shaheen on judicial remand in a case related to the violation of a newly-enacted law regulating public gatherings in the federal capital.

The case was registered at the Noon Village police station.

In a separate development, the court granted an eight-day physical remand of other PTI leaders, including Sher Afzal Marwat, Zain Qureshi, Amir Dogar, Naseem Shah, Ahmed Chattha, and Sheikh Waqas Akram. These leaders are accused in a case registered at the Sangjani police station regarding an attack on police personnel near the Chongi No. 26 area during the party’s September 8 power show in Islamabad. During the hearing, prosecutor Raja Naveed sought a 15-day physical remand for Shoaib Shaheen, claiming that ‘police kits’ in the accused’s possession needed to be recovered. “They [PTI workers] had attacked the police using law enforcement equipment,” the prosecutor said.

Judge Zulqarnain inquired about the timeframe granted to the PTI for the public gathering. Prosecutor Naveed responded that the demonstration was permitted from 4pm to 7pm. He also said that the newly-enacted law on public order had been violated and accused the PTI leadership of inciting workers and supporters. Riyasat Ali denied the prosecutor’s claims, asserting that his client was not present at the scene. He presented CCTV footage of Shoaib Shaheen’s arrest, showing that the lawyer was apprehended in his chamber.

When judge Zulqarnain asked about Shoaib Shaheen’s role in the clashes, the defence attorney explained that Shaheen had been accused of “provoking and directing” party workers. The judge reserved his verdict on the physical remand request and adjourned the hearing.

Earlier, the Islamabad High Court heard a habeas corpus petition challenging the PTI leaders’ arrest. Islamabad’s IGP Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi appeared before the court in response to a summons issued by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.

Chief Justice Farooq questioned the whereabouts of Shoaib Shaheen, to which the IGP replied that he was in the custody of the ATC.

“Why didn’t the police allow the lawyers to meet Shaheen?” the judge inquired. Judge Farooq noted that the Noon Village police had arrested the lawyer and clarified that all those who had been “picked up” were formally arrested. The judge sought documentation related to Shoaib Shaheen’s arrest, while the defence lawyer questioned the evidence of Shaheen provoking the workers.

Concluding the proceedings, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq said the case was now under review by the ATC and remarked, “Let’s see if the police secure physical or judicial remand.” The IHC adjourned the hearing until Wednesday (today), pending the ATC’s decision.

Meanwhile, following his arrest during a fresh crackdown against the PTI for allegedly violating regulations under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan was released from police custody on Tuesday. According to a police statement, Gohar was discharged from a case registered at the Sangjani police station.

Speaking to journalists after his release, Barrister Gohar condemned the police actions inside Parliament House, alleging that masked men stormed the building and arrested at least 10 PTI lawmakers.

“This time, CCTV footage of the arrests will be made public,” he said, describing September 9 as “a black day for Pakistan.” He urged the National Assembly speaker to investigate the matter.

Gohar also questioned if extending a rally beyond its designated timeframe was a crime.

The other arrested PTI leaders include Sher Afzal Marwat, Zain Qureshi, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Naseem-ur-Rehman, and Zubair Khan.

Several cases have been filed against the party’s leaders at the Noon Village and Sangjani police stations under the newly-enacted law.

The First Information Report (FIR) states that charged PTI workers attacked police officers with batons and stones when they attempted to block them from straying from the Islamabad rally route.