ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur reappeared in the provincial assembly on Sunday after being missing for a day. He dismissed rumors of his arrest during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in Islamabad, stating that he had been at the KP House the entire time.
“Police raided the KP House multiple times. Listen, IG [Inspector-General of Police]. I was there the whole night,” Gandapur declared during a passionate speech to the assembly.
His whereabouts had been unknown since Saturday, after PTI attempted to hold a protest in Islamabad, despite the enforcement of Section 144, which prohibits political gatherings and activities in the twin cities for security reasons.
The PTI had launched a series of protests demanding judicial independence and the release of party founder Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail for over a year. During the protests, clashes erupted between law enforcement and PTI supporters, with both sides accusing the other of initiating the violence.
The provincial assembly passed a resolution demanding the chief minister’s recovery within 24 hours.
Addressing the assembly, Gandapur remarked: “This is a historic moment, as the government is uniting to attack our party.”
“They snatched out electoral symbol, abducted our people and forced them to leave the party,” he alleged.
The KP chief minister lambasted the authorities, including Islamabad IGP Nasir Ali Rizvi, for allegedly raiding the KP House and misbehaving with staff and women.
