In 'breakthrough' meeting with PM Shehbaz, Gandapur urges political engagement with Imran

In an unexpected move, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and stressed the need for political engagement with incarcerated party founder Imran Khan.

"I have asked the prime minister that there is a need for political engagement with Imran Khan. Political engagement will lead to a political solution," he said while speaking to the media flanked by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and others on Wednesday.

CM Gandapur, who belongs to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said he stressed the need to hold political dialogue with party incarcerated founder Imran Khan who has been behind bars since August last year in different cases ranging from corruption to terrorism.

"I have asked the prime minister to politically engage with Imran Khan. Political engagement will lead to a political solution," he added.

Gandapur said PM Shehbaz had also assured him that he would be allowed to meet the party founder in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail where the authorities have beefed up security measures and barred ex-premier Imran from holding meetings owing to "threat alert".

The KP CM said he told the premier that he had to hold a meeting with the party founder to discuss upcoming Senate polls.

Gandapur said he held a discussion with the premier to resolve issues of the masses. "The prime minister has assured that all dues of province will be cleared," he said describing his meeting as "good and positive".

The meeting between the two top officials belonging to rival political parties is seen as an important development in bringing down the political temperature in the country as the major political parties have been at loggerheads, particularly after the removal of PTI-led government via opposition's no-trust motion in April 2022.

The PTI has accused the PML-N and other allied parties part of the coalition government of coming into power via backdoor after manipulating the results of the February 8 elections.

After becoming the KP CM, Gandapur had said that he would maintain a good working relationship with the Centre but would not compromise on the party's stance that the incumbent rulers "stole" the public's mandate.

Today's meeting came a day after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued a notice to Gandapur on a petition seeking his disqualification for allegedly misleading about a patch of land.

Responding to a question related to PM Shehbaz's recent visit to KP, Gandapur said he could not receive the premier as he was not present in Peshawar.

"It's our tradition that we take special care of guests," the CM added.

Speaking on the occasion, Planning Minister Iqbal welcomed the KP's CM meeting with the premier and stated that the federal government will take all possible steps for the development and maintenance of law and order in the province.

PM Shehbaz has directed to ensure electricity supply during Sheri and Iftar times in the province, Iqbal said adding that the conclusion of the meeting is that: "Politics aside, the state belongs to all."

The planning minister said PM Shehbaz has also assured the KP CM that there will be no injustice against anyone.

'All justified demands of KP to be met'

A separate statement issued by the PM Office said Premier Shehbaz assured that all justified demands of KP would be met while keeping in view the current financial situation of the country.

Welcoming CM Gandapur, the prime minister said that all four provinces were the components of the federation and when they moved together, the country achieved progress and development, it added.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar, Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif, Planning Minister Iqbal, Minister for States and Frontier Regions Amir Muqam, and other relevant senior officials.

The prime minister stressed to sit together to resolve all issues, adding the public welfare would be the top priority of their collective efforts.

The federal government believed in working in harmony with all the provincial governments including KP and would foster the strong bonds, the PM quoted as saying in the statement.

The chief minister also expressed the resolve that the provincial government wanted to move with good intentions and was committed to play its positive role in the national development.