Gandapur’s remarks: PTI leaders want Imran to order an inquiry

PESHAWAR: Offended by the controversial statement of Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, certain senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have decided not to engage in counterattacks against him.

They said they didn’t want the party and its strength to be weakened at this crucial moment, so they have appealed to PTI founder Imran Khan to order an inquiry into the allegations against them.

“I don’t care whatever Ali Amin Khan has stated about me, but the way he targeted other senior party leaders including Asad Qaiser Khan, Shahram Khan Tarakai, Babar Saleem Swati, Taimur Khan Jhagra and Kamran Khan Bangash has hurt me. This is neither in favour of Imran Khan nor PTI, therefore, all of us have been looking to Imran Khan to order an inquiry into what Ali Amin has stated,” PTI MNA from Mardan, Mohammad Atif Khan, told The News when approached by this correspondent.

He said he was hurt by Ali Amin’s statement but had decided not to react to it, particularly in the media, as it would further damage their joint cause i.e. to get Imran Khan out of jail.

He said he had never used his portfolios and government machinery for his personal benefit when he was a senior minister in the past, saying the only purpose of his joining politics and Imran Khan was eradicating corruption.

“Ali Amin is chief executive of the province and there are many pressing issues that need his time and attention. I don’t understand why he chose to open unnecessary fronts by offending the party’s leading figures by attacking them with his unpleasant comments,” he argued.

Atif Khan said he and other party leaders had demanded Imran Khan to order an impartial inquiry into the allegations against them.

Meanwhile, other PTI leaders and close aides of Imran Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa told The News that the party and its workers were concerned about the ongoing unrest in the party and appealed to Chief Minister Gandapur and other party leaders to stop trading barbs.

“The workers are worried about the internal divisions in the party. The differences have strayed the party leadership from their main purpose of getting Imran Khan and other political prisoners out of the prison,” a PTI MNA in Peshawar told The News.

Pleading anonymity, he said the party had been divided into more than four groups and only one group among them was sincerely interested in the safe and immediate release of Imran Khan from prison. He claimed that members of one influential group in the party were enjoying perks and privileges by making empty promises to Imran Khan for more than a year to get him out of jail and shift him to Banigala or Nathiagali.

“Unfortunately, none of the party’s senior leaders, including Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan are allowed to meet him in jail and let him know what’s going on in his name. Only Ali Amin and Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif or whoever they recommend can see him in Adiala jail,” he complained.