The recent release of former First Lady Bushra Bibi and the disappearance and reappearance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur point to a political “charade and compromise,” allegedly carried out with the consent of PTI founder Imran Khan, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated on Tuesday.
“The release of Begum Sahiba and her journey to Peshawar is not a mere routine event. Similarly, Gandapur’s actions—making threats, disappearing from rallies, and then resurfacing—suggest a calculated game,” Asif commented on X, formerly Twitter.
Asif referred to Bibi’s October 24 release from Adiala Jail after being held for nine months, just ahead of the elections, and the Chief Minister’s mysterious absence from KP House in Islamabad during a PTI protest earlier in the month.
Gandapur reappeared in the KP Assembly on October 7, almost 30 hours after vanishing from the state house in Islamabad.
The defence minister suggested that Bibi’s decision to leave Punjab and stay at the Peshawar Chief Minister’s House annex hints at a “deeper narrative.” He claimed that both figures were part of a strategic political maneuver, stating, “This isn’t happening without the PTI founder’s approval. They are collectively attempting to mislead their supporters.”
Meanwhile, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has also voiced suspicions about the situation.
When asked by a journalist if Bibi’s release was the result of a deal, Kundi speculated that Gandapur might have been involved. He added that Khan’s wife had been imprisoned for nearly nine months before securing her release through the court.
“Whether a deal was struck or not, the truth remains highly anticipated,” he remarked.
Khan has expressed similar concerns over the developments, according to his sister, Naureen Niazi.
In response to a question about Gandapur’s absence from KP House, Naureen told reporters outside the Islamabad High Court on Monday that her brother had questioned if any deal was involved following the bail granted to two of his sisters.
Khan’s sisters, Aleema and Uzma, were released from Jhelum Jail on October 25 after their bail orders were issued regarding their participation in a PTI protest in Islamabad during a ban on public gatherings.
