PESHAWAR: Amidst the ongoing crackdown on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information, suggested that the federal government might have detained Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. Saif urged the Centre to disclose Gandapur’s whereabouts, noting that he had been out of contact since 6 pm.
The federal government has intensified its actions against PTI following the party’s recent rally in Islamabad, which allegedly violated the newly enacted public gathering law. The crackdown led to the arrest of several key PTI figures, including PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, MNA Sher Afzal Marwat, and Zubair Khan. Heavy contingents of police were deployed outside Parliament House, closing all entry and exit routes to the Red Zone, except for Margala Road.
Expressing his concerns, Saif said, “The federal government needs to inform us about Gandapur’s whereabouts. Since 6 pm, he has not been in contact, and his phone has been off.” Earlier, Gandapur informed his spokesperson that he was heading to Islamabad for a meeting. Since then, there has been no communication from him or his close staff, whose phones are also unreachable.
The situation escalated when Saif raised the possibility of an unprecedented move: the arrest of an elected chief minister. “Has anyone witnessed a precedent of arresting an elected chief minister?” he questioned, emphasizing that if Gandapur had done anything wrong, authorities should file a case against him rather than detain him without notification.
Despite the initial alarm, PTI MNA from Karak, Shahid Khattak, later confirmed that Gandapur had safely reached Peshawar. Supporting this, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza stated, “CM Gandapur has not been arrested. He is traveling from one place to another, and his mobile phone is off due to jammers.”
Earlier in the day, CM Gandapur delivered a fiery speech, giving the coalition government a two-week ultimatum to release PTI founder Imran Khan, threatening to escalate the anti-government movement to Punjab if the demand was not met. “If the founder of PTI is not legally released within one to two weeks, we will have him freed ourselves,” Gandapur declared.
The crackdown on PTI leaders has drawn widespread condemnation from party officials. PTI leaders Salman Akram Raja, Omar Ayub Khan, and Asad Qaiser addressed a press conference in Peshawar, denouncing the arrests and vowing to continue their struggle. “There should be no misunderstanding as people have stood up,” said Raja. Ayub termed September 9 a “black day,” claiming that “masked individuals whisked away several party leaders.”
Journalists also protested during the press conference, demanding an apology from Gandapur for his earlier remarks against the media. Raja explained that Gandapur had left for an assembly session, but an apology would be forthcoming.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq reprimanded the Islamabad Inspector General (IG) of Police, Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, demanding the immediate release of the detained lawmakers and emphasizing the need to uphold the dignity of the parliament. He also requested CCTV footage of all entry points to parliament to hold accountable those responsible for the arrests.
The Islamabad police stated that additional PTI leaders, including Omar Ayub Khan and Zartaj Gul Wazir, would be taken into custody. Cases have been filed against PTI leaders under the newly-enacted Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024, accusing them of attacking police officers and violating rally regulations.
Sources revealed that Islamabad police had formally informed Punjab officials about the actions and expected more arrests of PTI leaders involved in the Islamabad rally. The police claimed that clashes occurred when PTI supporters insisted on using routes designated for the general public, leading to confrontations with law enforcement.
As the PTI continues its political and legal battles, the situation remains tense, with both sides preparing for further confrontations. The party has announced nationwide protests and plans to bring the issue to the assembly floor, maintaining that their movement will not be silenced by these crackdowns.
