Gandapur vows to hold constitutional amendment backers accountable

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur declared that those who supported the government or voted in favour of the 26th Constitutional Amendment bill will not be spared.

Speaking in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Gandapur voiced his concerns over the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, calling it unconstitutional and claiming it was designed to benefit a few elites while undermining the judiciary.

He said that a government without a legitimate mandate had attacked the judiciary. “First, we will reclaim our mandate with the support of the people, and then we will reject such amendments,” he stated.

Gandapur said that their struggle was ideological, saying, “In this ideological war, if anyone thinks they can push us back by force, they are mistaken. Some may falter, but, by God’s grace, this challenging time has revealed who stands by the ideology and who has betrayed it. We now know who sold their conscience, who was a traitor, a coward, and who remains steadfast.”

He warned that those who supported or stood by without voting against the amendment, effectively betraying Imran Khan, will be named and held accountable. “We will not let any such person go unpunished,” he said.

Gandapur said, “A traitor is a traitor, whether their betrayal was out of compulsion or for money. If someone was truly compelled, they could have resigned. Why didn’t they? Those who changed loyalties for personal gain will face the nation’s judgment, and we will hold them accountable as well. Anyone who thinks they can get away with it easily is mistaken — God willing, it won’t be so easy.”

Also read: ATC starts proceedings to declare Gandapur ‘absconder’

He also remarked that if the senior-most judge is not appointed the chief justice, “We will take to the streets again.”

Addressing state institutions, the KP chief minister warned that they are responsible for their actions. “You cannot act in this country without being held accountable, and you cannot silence everyone.”

Criticizing the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), he stated, “NAB has done nothing but pursue political vendettas. Billions of the public’s money have been spent, but the only result has been political revenge.”

He said that institutions led by personal appointees can never move forward. “This is why we are drowning in debt, and why Pakistan is declining in every sector. It is the result of wrong policies and illegal amendments.”