Where is Gandapur?

Omar Ayub says Gandapur was being held incommunicado by federal government “after being invited for a cup of tea”

By Our Correspondent

September 10, 2024

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur speaks in a video message on July 21, 2024. — Screengrab via Facebook/Ali Amin Khan Gandapur

PESHAWAR: Conflicting statements emerged about the whereabouts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, with some Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders saying he had been inaccessible since Monday afternoon and may have been detained, whereas others claiming that he was safe at the KP House in Islamabad.

In a tweet posted late on Monday night, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub said Gandapur was being held incommunicado by the federal government/establishment “after being invited for a cup of tea”. “His [Gandapur’s] security staff is not traceable, and their phones are powered off,” he said.

He lamented, “This is the state of affairs in Pakistan today. Our party Chairman arrested, MNAs arrested and some taking protection inside Parliament House with a heavy Police contingent outside, bogus FIRs registered against the Leader of the Opposition and Parliamentary Leader, and arrest is imminent.”

Ayub said that all this is being done because the PTI and its allies held a peaceful protest in Islamabad on 8th September, 2024.Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister’s adviser on information, said he had lost contact with CM Ali Amin Gandapur in the afternoon.

He told The News he would neither confirm nor deny reports about arrest of the chief minister. “I am not aware of the whereabouts of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. He was in Islamabad, but his phones are switched off and he is inaccessible; therefore, I am not in a position to say if he has been arrested or not,” Barrister Saif said.

Another senior party leader, PTI president of the Peshawar region, Mohammad Aasim Khan, however, told The News that he was in touch with CM Gandapur and he was not in the custody of police.

“The chief minister is safe and sound and staying in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House Islamabad. He has switched off his cellphones, escorted by the KP police,” he said. He, however, confirmed that there was tension outside the KP House Islamabad, following the arrest of certain party leaders.