Ali Amin Gandapur ‘disappeared’ by establishment: Imran Khan

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder and former prime minister Imran Khan has claimed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was disappeared by the establishment but he was maintaining his silence to save their honour.

“Everyone knows who disappear people in the country,” he said adding that “we are the only single largest party representing the federation.”

During an informal talk with journalists in Adiala jail, Imran Khan compared the current situation in Pakistan to that of Yahya Khan’s regime.

“Yahya Khan conducted operations against the largest political party in the country, and today, Yahya Khan part two is destroying institutions. People have lost confidence in the judiciary,” he said.

The PTI founder alleged that recent judicial verdicts including one involving his wife Bushra Bibi, were influenced by “outsiders” with a judge taking orders for three hours before delivering the verdict.

Imran Khan welcomed Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s recent statements rejecting the extension for any head of the institutions, including those in the army and judiciary. “Thankfully, Maulana Fazlur Rehman has made it clear that he doesn’t support any extensions,” he noted.

However, he criticized the current moves to extend judicial terms, particularly that of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who, according to Khan, is “protecting human rights violations and election rigging.” He warned that if the judiciary is compromised, the country could be destroyed.

Imran Khan also lamented the lack of foreign investment in Pakistan which stood at $1 billion compared to $140 billion in Singapore.

“Investments only go there where the rule of law prevails,” he said, emphasizing that the system in Pakistan is being destroyed. He added that the country’s future lies with its overseas Pakistanis, stating, “The 100 million overseas Pakistanis are the future of this country. Only they can save us from the IMF if they invest here.”

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He also criticized Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, saying, “There’s no point in calling him the prime minister when he takes an NOC (no-objection certificate) for everything.”

Regarding the Tosha Khana case, Khan expressed frustration that it hasn’t been scheduled for hearing in the Supreme Court for the last one and a half years. “If this case doesn’t get heard soon, the remaining Tosha Khana cases will be dropped. Yet, The Election Commission of Pakistan’s cases are being heard regularly,” he remarked.

He criticized Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, accusing him of bias. “It’s like playing cricket — with Qazi Faez Isa in one ‘slip’ and Justice Amir Farooq in the other. This is what’s happening to us,” he said.

Khan expressed his support for Ali Amin Gandapur’s stance on negotiations with Afghanistan. “Ali Amin is right, and I fully support his call for negotiations with Afghanistan,” he said. “He should pursue talks, even if he has to plead.”

When a journalist asked that when the federal government and the foreign office are there, how can a provincial government directly engage with another country, Imran Khan said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the region most affected by terrorism. “When Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was the foreign minister, he didn’t even visit Afghanistan. Thousands of policemen have been martyred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa? The police are protesting everywhere these days.”

He emphasized the importance of combating terrorism, stating that it has been his priority for 24 years.

“Ending terrorism should be the country’s top priority. If terrorism isn’t controlled, the economy will be crippled. Until relations with Afghanistan are improved, we will remain stuck in this cycle. Look at the statistics: the least amount of terrorism occurred during PTI’s rule. If someone is trying to do away with terrorism, they should be supported.”

Imran Khan defended Ali Amin Gandapur, saying, “He is working for the country’s benefit, not against it. He’s pointing out cross-border terrorism. What has the federal government done about it so far? Ali Amin has only spoken about going; he didn’t set any time or say for certain that he would go. Did he do something wrong by mentioning negotiations? Even when Ashraf Ghani’s government was against Pakistan, I still went to Afghanistan and invited him to Pakistan.”

When asked about Ali Amin Gandapur’s alleged statement about “liberating” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Imran Khan clarified, “Ali Amin Gandapur would never say that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should be liberated. If someone is trying to end terrorism, we should encourage dialogue.”

Another journalist asked, “If you were the prime minister and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister initiated talks with Afghanistan without your permission, how would you respond?” Imran Khan replied, “The issue is that when the police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have to protect themselves, who will protect the people?”

When asked about his comment that the establishment had “cheated” him, Imran Khan explained, “In jail, you can’t even kill a bird. Azam Swati and Barrister Gohar came to the jail at 7 in the morning at the behest of the establishment. They gave us a date and assured us that they will facilitate us for the Islamabad rally. But what happened to us on September 8 was seen by everyone and it was a betrayal.”