Gandapur held responsible for ‘mismanagement’ at Peshawar rally

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Peshawar district chapter has held Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur responsible for mismanagement and poor arrangements during the party’s public gathering on September 27, 2025.

A fact-finding committee’s report stated that the chief minister was responsible for the special arrangements meant to ensure smooth organisation, security, and maximum public participation. The report noted that the Peshawar public gathering was organised on the directions of PTI’s founding chairman to protest against ongoing lawlessness, constitutional violations, and political victimisation of PTI leaders and workers. However, the event suffered from severe mismanagement — the environment became unpleasant due to foul smell and filth, while the presence of stray dogs around the venue raised serious security concerns.

However, close sources to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur have rejected the PTI Peshawar fact-finding report, calling it malicious, biased, and one-sided. They dismissed all allegations mentioned in the report as baseless and politically motivated.

According to the sources, the venue for the Peshawar public gathering was decided by the Peshawar PTI organisation itself. A high-level meeting was held for this purpose, attended by Peshawar’s MPAs, MNAs, district presidents, and general secretaries. The participants collectively approved and finalised the location for the rally.

The sources revealed that all administrative responsibilities were assigned to an organisational committee headed by Bilal Ijaz, who had been nominated by the party’s central leadership. The same committee was responsible for the stage setup, coordination with the police, guest lists, passes, and all logistical arrangements.

They clarified that the stage management and overall arrangements were entirely under the Peshawar organising committee, and Ali Amin Gandapur had no role in those operational matters.

The close sources further said that Chief Minister Gandapur personally spent over Rs100 million to facilitate guests and participants. Accommodation for attendees was arranged in over 80 hotel rooms and two marriage halls in Peshawar.

They added that each MPA was given Rs200,000 and each MNA Rs300,000 to mobilise workers from their respective constituencies. Similarly, tehsil mayors, district office-bearers, youth wing members, and even losing candidates were provided Rs200,000 each to ensure strong participation and mobilisation at the event.

The sources questioned if the venue was unsuitable, why Peshawar’s elected representatives, MPAs, and central leaders visited the site daily for photo sessions without objection. They argued that since all arrangements were the responsibility of the district organisation, there was no justification for post-event criticism.

According to them, the purpose of this report seems to be to malign Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and create internal divisions within PTI, while the chief minister’s role was limited to bearing the expenses and providing facilities for guests and workers.

Meanwhile, the fact-finding report said, the Peshawar public gathering was organised in compliance with directives from PTI’s founding chairman to protest against ongoing lawlessness, constitutional violations, and political victimisation of PTI leaders and workers.

The event was intended to be peaceful and demonstrate strong public support for Imran Khan’s democratic struggle. It was supervised by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM, with special arrangements planned to ensure smooth organisation, security, and maximum participation. Despite these plans, the report noted, serious shortcomings emerged in management, logistics, and coordination.

A three-member fact-finding committee was constituted to investigate complaints of mismanagement, disorganisation, and operational lapses. The committee conducted interviews, site inspections, and discussions with relevant party workers and stakeholders.

The committee’s findings painted a troubling picture of confusion and negligence at multiple levels. The report says that the Peshawar district organisation, despite being the host body, was not given any official role or defined responsibility in managing the event. There was no clear chain of command or hierarchy, resulting in confusion and duplication of tasks. The venue’s cleanliness was neglected, with dust, debris, and garbage heaps left uncleared, creating unpleasant and unhygienic conditions.

The report revealed that stray dogs were observed inside and around the venue, raising safety concerns. Certain police personnel behaved unethically, especially towards journalists and female participants, causing distress and panic.

“Faraz Mughal falsely presented himself as the spokesperson or focal person to the chief minister and unauthorizedly issued around 100 special red passes, bypassing official procedures. Mughal also misbehaved with senior PTI workers and officials, displaying arrogance and disrespect towards the organisation. Stage management was handled by multiple uncoordinated groups, leading to confusion and poor supervision. Logistical failures were reported, including unclear entry protocols, insufficient facilities, and poor crowd management. The behavior of Chairman Mathra, Inamullah, towards a party worker caused resentment and demotivation among grassroots members.”

The committee issued several strong recommendations and said that the district PTI organisation must be given full responsibility for all events held within its jurisdiction. A defined structure of authority and accountability should be implemented to ensure coordination. Proper cleaning and sanitation drives should be conducted well before any event.

The report said that only officially nominated personnel should issue entry or stage passes; unauthorised issuance must lead to disciplinary action. Coordination with law enforcement agencies must be ensured in advance to guarantee ethical, respectful, and gender-sensitive behaviour by deployed personnel. A district-level event management team should be formed for planning, coordination, and on-site oversight, including logistics, cleanliness, and volunteer management.

The report reaffirmed that every PTI worker is an asset and must be treated with dignity, respect, and acknowledgment. All PTI representatives must maintain professional and respectful conduct towards journalists, colleagues, and attendees.