ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur expressed confidence on Tuesday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan would be released from jail soon.
Speaking to The News, Gandapur neither confirmed nor denied his involvement in the recent release of Bushra Bibi. When asked about his reported role, he avoided a direct answer, stating only that Bushra Bibi’s release was due to a court order, as she was jailed on “fake charges.” He added that he expected Khan’s release soon for the same reason, calling the cases against him “baseless.”
When questioned about any assurances linked to Bushra Bibi’s release, Gandapur remarked, “We don’t believe in deals and won’t enter into one.” He attributed his confidence in Khan’s release to the “false nature” of the cases against him.
Responding to a question about PTI’s stance on the army and its chief, he clarified, “We are neither against the institution nor any individual. Our opposition is to the policies, and we seek their correction.” Gandapur underscored PTI’s commitment to lawful and constitutional methods for its struggle, calling for investigations into the February 8 elections and the events of May 9.
The News also reported PTI sources who claimed that Gandapur had informed party leaders of his involvement in Bushra Bibi’s release, assuring them that she would not face further arrests. According to these sources, Gandapur received information that she would be spared additional cases.
Gandapur’s spokesman, Barrister Saif, confirmed that the chief minister had indeed spoken about his role in Bushra’s release but refrained from specifying further details.
In a video message, Gandapur accused the federal and Punjab governments of mistreating Imran Khan in jail, alleging he was deprived of basic facilities such as electricity and meals, and that his rights were being violated. Gandapur warned, “If there are more complaints about the treatment of our leader, we will shut down the entire country.”
He asserted that the government had “stolen” PTI’s mandate and vowed to reclaim it, while noting that the federal government’s actions were pushing PTI leaders to the point of aggressive resistance. He emphasized that betrayal of the PTI founder would not be tolerated.
