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PESHAWER: Missing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Sunday resurfaced and entered the KP Assembly chamber after the PTI demanded he be produced within 24 hours. Gandapur was greeted with cheers and applause as he entered the hall.
Shortly after his reappearance in the assembly, Gandapur launched into a fiery speech, thanking PTI supporters for standing with party founder Imran Khan.
Describing the events leading to his “disappearance,” Gandapur alleged that Islamabad’s inspector-general (IG) of police, along with Rangers, had “raided the KP House, sealed its gates, and misbehaved with staff and women.”
“They [the police and Rangers] fired on us directly, shelled us, and didn’t have an FIR,” he said. “They informed me there was an FIR but didn’t explain what it was for or the charges. I asked what crime I had committed, and told them if they wanted to arrest me, they could, as instructed by Imran Khan.”
He further revealed that he was present in the KP House “all night long and that the police had raided the residence four times.”
“All the evidence is there against them. How dare he lay hands on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government? We will avenge our disrespect,” he asked.
“The IG will have to fix everything broken in KP House. My car was taken away, my guard was also taken away.”
He went on to say that the IG will have to “appear on the floor of the KP Assembly and apologise for vandalising KP House.”
“A case will be filed against IG Islamabad,” he added.
He added that he was “proud of this house and this nation for standing with Imran Khan for fighting for our future.”
“This is a historic event where the government is coming together and attacking our party — they have exposed themselves,” he said. “They took our electoral symbol, then they abducted our people and forced them to defect, but none of them have won.”
Around 300 PTI supporters reached the KP Assembly and started sloganeering and demanding Gandapur’s “release.” Some of them protested outside the building, while others chanted slogans from the public gallery.
Speaker Swati began the session by requesting that PTI workers in the gallery refrain from sloganeering and hooting, given the context of the meeting.
“It is very important to discuss the events of the last two days with great attention,” he said. “We have convened this session to resolve a serious issue. There will be no sloganeering and members from both sides will speak and be heard.”
He added that the police “attacked” the KP house and allegedly broke the doors of the CM and speakers’ rooms, causing damage.
“They (police) misbehaved with the families of parliamentarians and used rubber bullets and shells,” he said.
KP Law Minister Aftab Alam Afridi acknowledged that an “unprecedented” event had taken place in the last two days, putting forward a resolution requesting that Gandapur be presented within 24 hours. The resolution was unanimously passed.
“The role of the leader of the house is final and essential,” Afridi said. “The federal interior minister and KP governor allegedly abducted the CM. The Assembly demands that the speaker request a report from law enforcement agencies, intelligence agencies and federal government representatives on the CM’s disappearance.”
The speaker directed that the KP Chief Secretary, KP inspector general of police (IGP) and the chief minister’s principal secretary appear in the assembly tomorrow (Monday) for an in-person briefing.
“We need to know the whereabouts of the KP chief minister as well as a briefing on the events within KP House,” he said. “They will deliver this briefing in this chamber.”
Meanwhile, PTI MPA Dr Amjad Ali recounted the events of the last 48 hours.
“On Friday, on the orders of Imran Khan, the PTI led a peaceful rally towards Islamabad. Our peaceful protest led by CM Gandapur left for Islamabad. All the (security) agencies knew that our people were not armed with illegal weapons that warranted any action,” he maintained.
“Blockades were put up at Attock and motorways, which have been made with the taxpayers’ money, were dug up or blocked with containers.”
He added that when the protesters crossed Attock Bridge, they shelled them with tear gas and live rounds.
“Many were injured, our medical teams administered first aid,” Amjad said. “Throughout the night until 8:30am, they were shelled with tear gas at Burhan Interchange as if they were terrorists.
“KP House is the only base we have in Islamabad, it is as important as GHQ or Coprs Commander House is to the establishment,” Amjad said.
“The Islamabad police and Rangers illegally raided KP House and detained the KP CM who is still missing,” the MPA said that the illegal detention of a sitting chief executive was unprecedented. “Nothing like this has ever happened in our history.”
Curtsy: Dunya News
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