Mansehra: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur addressed a press conference in Mansehra after several delays, confirming that the PTI’s sit-in movement is ongoing.
“The sit-in still continues,” Gandapur declared to the cheers of PTI workers gathered at the party’s secretariat in Mansehra since the morning. He emphasized that the protest would remain in place until party leader Imran Khan called it off.
While the sit-in was officially dispersed by security forces in Islamabad on Tuesday night, Gandapur’s statement about the protest continuing left some confusion. He did not clarify whether he meant the protest in Islamabad was ongoing or whether it was now being held in Mansehra.
Gandapur condemned what he called “fascism” against the PTI, claiming the party had been denied its right to protest for over two and a half years. He stated that PTI workers had only reacted to the violence they faced from security forces.
He also pledged to ensure the release of PTI workers who were arrested during the protest in Islamabad, and said that life in the capital had returned to normal by Wednesday.
“Why were bullets fired on our peaceful protesters?” Gandapur asked, highlighting the party’s grievances over the treatment of its supporters.
The press conference, originally scheduled for 11:00 AM, faced multiple delays and only began after 2:30 PM. The delays were reportedly due to a meeting Gandapur had with senior officials, including the Commissioner and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police in Mansehra. Sources indicated that Gandapur may travel to Peshawar by helicopter after the meeting concludes.
Event Turns into Workers’ Convention
The press conference, intended for the media, quickly turned into a convention for PTI workers who had gathered in large numbers. PTI supporters raised slogans as Gandapur spoke, and journalists, who had been waiting for hours, questioned the event’s shifting focus.
The ongoing delays fueled curiosity about the party’s next steps, particularly regarding its protest strategy. Discussions within PTI about future actions have gained attention, with Barrister Saif confirming that the government had offered PTI a public gathering space in Sangjani, which Imran Khan approved. However, Bushra Bibi insisted on a rally at D-Chowk in Islamabad. When the government cracked down on the D-Chowk plan, party leaders, including Bushra Bibi and Gandapur, fled to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai also voiced concerns over the party’s strategy, questioning why negotiations with the government had not been prioritized.
